Finders Keepers
by Strictly-untalkative
Summary: Jack never wanted to return to earth, but over the years he couldn’t help himself. Walking the London streets of 2031 with a still heavy heart, Jack’s about to be confronted with a strangely familiar face. Post Children of Earth
1. Hunters

He left; he left her on that hill screaming his name up at the sky. Gwen Cooper, the last person on that world he cared about, but he couldn't think about her now, couldn't think about anything – anyone, not Steven, not Ianto, not Owen, Tosh or Suzie; he was leaving now – he would never go back.

The Petrakens who had picked up his signal were unbelievably kind to him, kinder than he deserved. They gave him a bed, food and clean clothes, and they didn't ask any questions. He sat in their officers' common room, staring out at the vastness of the universe he could never escape from. He saw the earth growing more and more distant, and as the blue dot faded into insignificance he felt some of the weight on his heart lift, just a little, in its absence. He would never go back.

As more and more time with the Petrakens passed they tried repeatedly to coax him out of his silence and cheer him up, but Jack had no intention of being cheered up. Even with the earth on the other side of whatever sun he was now travelling around, he couldn't hide from the guilt, from the pain he has caused himself and everyone else. For the first time in far longer than he could fathom he considered the futile practice of suicide – killing himself to distract himself from living. But the Petrakens just wouldn't give up, and one evening one of the crew members asked Jack if it could see his vortex manipulator, and after inspecting it briefly ran off with it grinning. Jack didn't even bother to follow it. Not an hour later however, the joyous Petraken returned, and proudly presenting the wrist strap to him, before chattering away happily about how it had restored it's teleportation functions, so Jack could go back home whenever he wanted. And so unbelievably quickly, he did.

He just couldn't help it, he needed to see the earth, needed to see the people, walk the streets, eat the food, just to hear the sound of it. So over the years he would visit, never for long, though he'd never stay away for long either. On these visits he simply immersed himself in the world that he'd promised he'd forget, though there were certain places that he left in his memories. Cardiff, he couldn't bear to go there, couldn't even entertain the thought of being so close to Gwen, being too close to all those memories, London too – he'd lost so much in London. But time heals all things, and, after over twenty years of staying away, he found himself standing on a busy street in Piccadilly Circus, watching the masses pass around the theatres and bars as the sun slowly set. Then the masses started screaming.

With a tired roll of his eyes, Jack started towards the source. Rounding a theatre at full pelt he was hit by a wave of people running away from an unbelievable gold light, pushing through them he finally saw it - it was a Golden Hind. It stood about eight feet tall; and had the most brilliant gold fur which was emitting the light Jack had seen from the distance, it was facing away from him nosing at something. Jack glanced around uneasily – the Hind wasn't a problem, they were gentle things; wandering around from planet to planet simply grazing. No, the Hind wasn't the problem, any Hunters would be. He scowled at the thought - the Hunters were a violent, nomadic race, obsessed with tracking and killing whatever species they chose, and they were absolutely no fun at parties. Jack slowly started to creep towards the Hind; if he could move it on with no fuss then the hunters would probably bypass the planet entirely. He was about ten foot away when a boy stepped out from behind the Hind, a massive grin on his face.

'Oh hi,' he said happily, Jack just stared at him, he looked to be in his early twenties, about Jack's height but more slim, wearing a plain black t-shirt and skinny jeans. 'I thought everyone had run off – but don't worry she's completely harmless.' Jack just looked at him dumbly, the boy's grin fell a notch, and he self consciously ran a hand through his floppy dark brown hair. They both stood staring at one another, Jack still shocked at the boy's attitude and presence – he was obviously human, and local from the sound of his voice and yet he stood there next to a giant glowing space-deer without even flinching.

'Do you have any idea what that is?' Jack asked finally, the boy's face brightened at Jack actually saying something.

'Well… It's a big space deer…' the boy said, slightly shamefaced. Jack raised an eyebrow. 'But she really is completely harmless, look.' He ran a hand along the Hind's muzzle; it pushed against his palm gently.

'I'm not saying it's not...'

'_She_' corrected the boy. Jack rolled his eyes before complying.

'I'm not saying that _she's_ not harmless, just that you really shouldn't be standing there petting her.' The boy pouted in response.

'Who says?' he asked childishly, Jack almost laughed – this was the most he had spoken to someone here directly since he'd left, and they were arguing about petting extra-terrestrials.

'I say.' He said frankly.

'And who exactly, are you?' Said the boy, his eyebrows raised now.

'I'm Captain Jack Harkness.' Jack said, unsure why he still added the 'captain'. The boy laughed, and Jack frowned.

'Are you now?' he asked 'Nice to meet you Captain Jack, I'm…'

And then the Hunters arrived.

They came down from the surrounding buildings, quickly surrounding the Hind, along with the boy, who to Jack's amazement and horror, tried to stand in between them and it. The Hunters regarded him disinterestedly.

'Member of species 64752AO, you are irrelevant to this hunt – remove yourself.' The largest Hunter hissed quietly, the boy stuck out his chin defiantly.

'Make me.' He spat. The Hunter appeared to have no problem with this and reached out with a long talon. Jack gritted his teeth, and pulled his gun – if someone got hurt here it was going to be the ass-hole Hunter, not the rather cute, and undeniably crazy human boy. At a run, he fired three shots in quick succession at the other Hunters in the group before tackling their leader, landing at the boys feet, as the Hunters scattered the Hind reared up on its hind legs with an unearthly wail, before galloping straight up into the air, sending the boy flying into the fray. The Hunters immediately started yell, gesturing with their assorted weapons up where the Hind had flown. They then quickly followed in pursuit, all excluding the one pinned beneath both the boy and Jack, though after a moment, it had no difficulty in throwing them both off and into a wall. It quickly righted itself, coming to stand over them both.

'You lack intelligence, inferior species. You are as worthy of my time as you were a second ago.' It's hiss was low, but not particularly threatening, and after regarding them a moment longer it turned away before running after the others. Jack and the boy watched it go in silence, it had started to rain.

'That could have gone worse.' Jack said finally. The boy didn't say anything as Jack stood, brushing himself down. 'Well, I'll be going now.' He added pointedly.

'What?!' the boy exclaimed, pulling himself up. 'You can't just go waltzing off, you just kicked alien ass! And what about the deer? Is it going to be alright?' Jack shrugged.

'It'll probably be fine, it's been doing ok so far, and if can find a few more idiots to stand in between it and one of the most violent species in the west quadrants – it'll be sorted.' The boy scowled, Jack looked at him impassively before turning and walking off as the Hunter had.

'Hey!! Get back here!' he yelled 'You can't just leave – you saved me! Why did you save me and not the deer?' Jack turned to look at the boy again. Why had he saved him? Looking at the boy all he could think about were his eyes, it was something about the eyes – they were an unbelievable pale green, honest and open, staring right into his head, even now. They disturbed him, and though he didn't know why they were, they were the reason that he had tackled the hunter.

'No reason in particular.' Jack said with a shrug, the boy shook his head incredulously, rain droplets flying from his hair.

'You can't just say that.' He demanded exasperated. Jack looked away from the boy and fiddled with some dials on his vortex manipulator.

'Oh yes I can.' He said, and teleported away, away from the boy and his terrible, haunting gaze.

He didn't go off planet, he needed a beer, and why go far when London had no end of bars and clubs, some of which he even knew fairly well – assuming they were still in business. Eventually he found a familiar place just off Leicester Square, serving every manner of drink under the sun and with music so loud you wouldn't have heard the world end. Perfect. And so he settled himself at the bar with as many drinks he could afford with the cash he had on him. He was about half-way through the fourth bottle when the boy suddenly sat down next to him.

'Mind if I have one?' He asked politely, and without waiting for a reply from the stunned man, he took one of the bottles and then a long drink from it.

'You really scared me with your disappearing thing there, are you an alien too?' The boy asked frankly. Jack just couldn't stop staring at him. The boy clicked his fingers in front of Jack's face 'Hello? Earth to Captain Jack Harkness, come in, we'd like an answer to our question.' Jack blinked.

'No, I'm not an alien.' He said finally, the boy smiled, and in the back of his mind Jack registered that it was a very cute smile. The boy leaned in conspiratorially.

'Well, that's alright then.' And then he kissed Jack, quite suddenly, and rather passionately. Jack didn't know how to react, but centuries of conditioning soon kicked in and he started kissing back, with equal enthusiasm. After a moment the boy drew back, the grin still on his face, Jack just looked confused.

'What was that for?' he asked, as the boy leaned against the bar and took another drink from his beer

'That, Captain Jack, was a thank you kiss.' He said frankly, 'and quite a nice one too, I don't usually go for older guys, but you sir, are a good kisser.' Jack settled straight back into staring confusedly at the boy. 'So thank you, you saved my life. Now, you want to talk at least a little, because second kiss has to be earned too you know.' Jack blinked.

'How did you find me?' he asked after a moment, the boy looked a little unnerved by the question.

'You would start with a hard one,' he said ruefully, 'do you really want to know?' Jack nodded seriously.

'Of course.' He said, the boy grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand.

'I'm just good at finding people?' He ventured, Jack scowled and the boy held up his hands in defeat.

'Fine, fine.' He said quickly, looking at Jack again before taking a deep breath, 'I… I, followed your aura.' The boy said self consciously. Jack just looked at him a moment, and then burst out laughing, the boy flushed bright red.

'You followed an aura here?' he asked, 'you seriously expect me to believe that? That you're psychic?' The boy nodded indignantly.

'How can you laugh at that, when not two hours ago you were picking fights with monsters and disappearing into thin air?' at this, Jack gave an easy smile.

'That's because fighting monsters and disappearing into thin air is what I do,' said Jack smugly.

'Well being psychic is what I do.' Said the boy with a pout, Jack laughed again. 'Well it is.' He insisted 'look, I'll show you.' He reached across the space between them, laying a hand on each side of Jacks face, before closing his eyes.

'Look, whatever you're trying to do…' started Jack, but the boy shushed him. His young face creased by a deep frown.

'You didn't lie when you said you weren't an alien, but you're not from here, not from now.' Jack blinked, but before he could say anything the boy continued. 'So far away in time, and you've travelled time as well, met so many people, and so many of them are dead.' Jack nearly removed the boy's hands then, but he left them where they were, he wanted, needed, to know all that he would say. 'You're so sad, so very very sad it nearly kills you. And something's wrong, something's wrong with you though you're neither sick nor dying,' the boy's frown deepened even more 'no, not dying, you…' Jack finally removed the boy's hands. So he was psychic, Jack hadn't seen that coming.

'What's your name kid?' he asked, the boys frown turned back into his open smile.

'Finally he asks…' he said, with mock-dramatic gestures. Jack rolled his eyes.

'Name, please.' He said, ever so serious. Now the boy rolled his eyes.

'Fine then, it's Ianto, Ianto Cooper.'

* * *

So that's the first chapter of my new fic. Anyone who came from from Gallifrey's last, please make yourselves known - you get the most massive hug for sticking with me. Also if you didn't come here from there, don't read it - it's rubbish.

But anyway, this is a new start for me - and one i'm rather nervous about. I really hope that anyone who chances across this will want to read on, and the next chapter will be on saturday.

Reviews are to me as jelly babies are to the Doctor XP


	2. Ianto?

'My name's Ianto, Ianto Cooper.' With that simple reply Jack's mind was reeling, he barely registered that the boy, Ianto, continued talking. 'Well it's Ianto Williams really, but I use my mum's name, because, well because it's just not as _welsh_. I mean, I've lost the accent living here, but Ianto Williams, it sounds welsh no matter how you say it' But Jack wasn't listening, he was just staring, staring at those eyes – oh god, they were Gwen's eyes, and the face, he looked like her, and the hair - he had Rhys'hair, just his hair – thank god.

'You're the baby…' he stammered finally. The boy frowned.

'I'm the what?' he asked, looking confused. Jack could hardly think straight.

'You're Gwen's baby…' The boy blinked.

'You know my _mother_?' he asked incredulously 'Gwen Cooper? About my height? Black hair, green eyes, painfully welsh? – _that_ Gwen Cooper?' Jack swallowed, and took a deep breath.

'Yeah, that Gwen Cooper. I last saw her when she was pregnant with you.' He answered quietly, the boys eyebrows shot up.

'When she was _pregnant_ with me? That's over twenty one years ago!' Jack nodded. The boy sat back, 'does that make you feel as old as it makes me feel young?' he asked finally, and Jack smiled.

'You have no idea.' He said laughing, 'absolutely no idea.' Ianto considered this for a moment, still leaning against the bar, studying Jack's face, and then he sat up as an idea occurred to him.

'Did you know Ianto then?' he asked, and Jack froze 'the one I'm named after – Ianto Jones? He died a few months before I was born…' but he noticed the pained look on Jack's face and quickly stopped, 'I'm sorry, I didn't think.' He said quickly, 'I'm so sorry.' He added lamely, taking Jack's hand. Jack looked away. 'He's one of the things that's hurting you so bad isn't he, I can tell, I'm so very sorry - I should have thought.' He would have kept on apologising, Jack was sure of that, and that was the last thing he wanted, so he kissed him, just to shut him up.

As they broke away from each other, Jack noticed that the boy had started crying, though he quickly wiped the tears away, Jack frowned.

'And why exactly, are you crying?' Jack asked, Ianto sniffed.

'How are you _not_ crying?' he said, 'in your head, it's just so…'

'Were you reading my mind whilst we were _kissing_?' Jack demanded quickly, Ianto looked away.

'I can't help it,' he said quietly 'I read peoples emotions all the time, and if I'm touching someone it's just so more powerful. And, I can't actually read minds as such, just what people are feeling and stuff' Jack considered this a moment, before sighing.

'I suppose that's fair enough.' He conceded, Ianto looked up.

'You don't mind?' he asked, his surprise clear, Jack smiled reassuringly.

'Not really, don't worry about it.' Ianto's face lit up in relief. 'What does bother me though is the fact that you _can_. Last time I checked, Gwen couldn't read minds, and Rhys sure as hell couldn't.' Ianto shrugged.

'We never quite figured it out, me and my parents I mean,' he said 'when I was small they thought I was just being silly, but then when I got older they realised that there really was something to it. They used to argue about it a lot - I realise nowadays that I must have been a very frustrating child,' he gave a sort of half smile before continuing, 'I was always pointing out whenever someone was upset or angry, and they couldn't get any lies past me, I was two when I told them to stop saying that Father Christmas was real, and they could never throw me a surprise birthday party.' He did laugh then, but it was a little sad, 'They never shouted at me or anything – they didn't think it was my fault, but I used to hear them talking about what it could have been that made me like this, my dad used to say something about where my Mum used to work I think, but that always annoyed her.' Jack blinked, he hadn't thought about that – it was obvious really, he could even remember Gwen making an off-hand threat in those last fatal days that she'd strangle him a thousand times over if Torchwood made something weird happen to the baby, he grimaced at the thought. He noticed that Ianto was giving him a funny look.

'What scared you?' the boy asked, Jack groaned.

'Really can't get anything past you can I?' he asked, Ianto grinned.

'Nope.'

'I'm scared of what your mother would do to me;' he admitted 'I was her boss at that job you're talking about.'

'You were? That's just even weirder.' He pondered this for a minute, before an evil looking grin spread over his young face. 'So you can tell me what her old job was then – and keep in mind that I'll know if you lie.' Jack realised that he hadn't thought that last revelation through.

'I don't think I should say, especially if Gwen hasn't.' He said carefully, but Ianto's grin stayed put.

'Oh, I know you will,' he said happily, 'I can tell you want to.' Jack groaned, he knew he was right, not only did he want to - but he felt _compelled_ to tell him about Torchwood; he didn't think Gwen was right to keep it from him, not when it was affecting his day to day life like this. He looked at Ianto's eager face, and sighed before speaking.

'I can't tell you everything, you really have to talk to Gwen about that.' Ianto nodded eagerly, Jack regarded him cautiously before continuing. 'Me and your mom used to work for an organisation called Torchwood, we used to,' he paused for a moment considering the right words before giving up, 'well, we used to deal with aliens.' Ianto's eyebrows shot up.

'Aliens?' he asked delightedly, 'Like what you were doing when you saved me?' Jack nodded. Ianto was brimming with excitement. 'That's amazing! My mum, kicking alien ass? How cool!' Jack couldn't help but laugh at Ianto's ecstatic reaction, and was soon smiling along with him, not even thinking about the fact that this was the most he'd smiled in years.

'Yeah, your mom was pretty cool.' Jack conceded, Ianto looked immensely proud of this. 'She saved the world a fair few times, Gwen Cooper – she was one of the very best.' Ianto was positively beaming, and it was infectious.

'Why did she stop?' he asked suddenly, and Jack's smile fell, Ianto's fading also as he registered Jack's emotional response.

'It wasn't your mom, it was Torchwood – it all just stopped.' Jack said quietly, 'Everything went wrong,' He looked away 'everyone died, everyone except your mom.'

'Mum and you.' Corrected Ianto, Jack laughed sadly.

'Yeah, just Gwen and me.' He said. Neither of them said anything for a moment, Jack mourned the fact that it seemed he couldn't talk for five minutes without it spiralling down again. He would have almost have just said some goodbyes before leaving off world, but something made him want to stay here with the boy, and not just the fact that he reminded him so strongly of Gwen.

'So what brings you to London?' Asked Ianto suddenly, his wish to change the subject clear on his face, Jack forced a smile.

'Just visiting, I haven't been in years.' He said 'it's good to see the city – though it's changed since I was here, still got that same feel mind.' Ianto nodded.

'I love it here,' he said 'I was leaping for joy when I got into one of the city Universities, I just can't get enough of the place – I still act a total tourist sometimes.' Ianto admitted embarrassed. 'Are you enjoying your stay?' he added as an afterthought. Jack considered this a moment.

'Well,' he started, 'I'd only just got here when everyone starts screaming and I have to rescue this completely out of his mind boy from some aliens, and the when I try to have a nice quiet drink, it turns out the crazy boy is psychic and has totally stalked me to the bar.' He noted Ianto's indignant red face with satisfaction, greeting it with his best grin, 'but yeah, I'm having a great time – the crazy boy is very fine company.' At this Ianto blushed even redder and Jack just laughed. Ianto glared at him and this made Jack laugh even more, the boy really did have the most adorable face. Jack was about to offer an apology when a large group of women – obviously on some sort on hen night came into the bar singing what sounded like some sort of cartoon theme-tune, they looked so completely ridiculous that he simply looked at them, an eyebrow raised. He noticed Ianto was doing the same.

'This place is far too loud.' Ianto observed sounding annoyed, Jack nodded.

'Wanna go somewhere else?' Jack asked, he then smiled at Ianto's grin and excited nodding. 'I know just the place.' Jack finished with a grin. He stood, followed quickly by the boy, and they both walked out onto the London streets, Ianto holding onto Jack's arm, and Jack didn't bother to move it.

* * *

**So there was chapter two - sorry it was late, and doubly sorry as it's not even that long ^^"**

**I'm going away for the week now so there won't be anymore till i'm back, but i'll be writing whilst i'm away - i'm actually going on holiday with my lovely beta reader, fey-of-the-forest so she'll make sure I get some chapters sorted XP**

**This chapter has my favorite line from the whole fic, for now anyway, and I hope that y'all liked this chap - despite the fact that not much happened - though at least you know why it's not Ianto Williams now ^^**

**Thanks for all your reviews, they really made my day ^^**


	3. Hitchhikers at No 42

Jack quickly dragged Ianto along a number of winding London side streets, it was still raining after all, and neither of them wanted to get soaked through. After dodging into a vacant doorway Jack pointed out a well lit nightclub across the way, throbbing with activity. Ianto glanced at the neon sign above the doorway to see what the place was called and then groaned.

'Hitchhikers at No. 42?' he asked sceptically, Jack grinned.

'Yup,' he said proudly, but then noticed Ianto's distaste. 'So what do you think?' he asked carefully.

'It's a club.' Ianto said frankly 'a _themed_ club, and science fiction too – is this a joke?' he asked sounding annoyed, Jack laughed.

'One of my favourites.' He admitted with a grin and Ianto scowled, 'this is one of the major hang-outs for earth visitors in London – they seem to think the décor is completely hilarious.' He explained and Ianto's expression of annoyance quickly turned into excitement as he registered that Jack wasn't lying.

'So that place is full of aliens?' he asked, his young eyes shining with anticipation.

'You think any humans are going to drink in a place that gaudy?' Jack asked and Ianto laughed. 'Come on then, lets go in' Jack said, and, grabbing Ianto's hand, dragged him across the street into the brightly lit club.

The place was completely brimming with the most unusual creatures Ianto had ever seen. There were dozens of humanoids, who probably could have blended in quite well out on the street if it weren't for the fact that they seemed to come in every shape, size and colour in existence – and a couple of colours that Ianto couldn't describe, or even look at for long without his eyes hurting. And then there were other things, things that stalked amongst them; all fur, teeth and scales, lights and shadows.

'This is amazing' Ianto breathed, his heart thudding in his chest, there were so many emotions and feelings running though his head – he didn't even know what some of them were, it was confusing and scary, but also wonderful, and he closed his eyes for a second in order to take it all in. He opened them to see Jack looking at him questioningly, and felt another blush spread across his face, and then cursed himself silently – he was _not_ a blusher.

'Want to sit at the bar?' Jack asked after a second, though Ianto would have said it was longer.

'Yes please,' Ianto said hurriedly, and quickly followed Jack over to the bar, which was being manned by a very peculiar looking man with four eyes and three arms. The man looked up from the glass he was cleaning and his eyes widened in surprise as they took the two men in.

'Well,' he said after a moment 'If it aint our very own rogue time-agent. Long time no see Jack, it's been what? Twenty years?'

'Twenty two' said Jack with a shrug, 'You know how it is Zabrox – I was busy.' Now Zabrox's eyes turned to Ianto, looking him up and down, Ianto registered the aliens man's amusement and found himself blushing again.

'Yeah, I know how it is.' he said, looking at Jack again. 'So what are you and your date drinking? And I'm expecting you to able to pay for once.'

'We're not on a date.' Both of them said without thinking, and Ianto's heart missed a beat, wait, were they on a date? Zabrox was regarding the two of them, both his aura and face highly sceptical.

'Your kid then?' he asked, sounding confused 'it's the only reason I could think of that you wouldn't jump any moving thing.' Ianto went completely scarlet, whilst registering Jack's strange mix of outrage, guilt and, what, pride?

'Wrong again.' said Jack, his voice clearly telling the alien man to drop it, and Zabrox shrugged. Jack rolled his eyes, 'Just get us two Thalaxian Congos if you've got them, I can pay you Aqualium coins if that's ok.' The bar tender nodded and quickly fetched two bottles that were glowing a fluorescent pink, Jack threw a couple of see-through coins down on the bar before stalking off with the drinks.

'Come on kid.' He said 'we'll get a table.' Ianto started to follow but Zabrox gestured to him conspiratorially.

'You be careful with that one,' he warned 'his motives are either Torchwood related or getting into your pants.' Ianto felt himself flushing red again – the bar keeper wasn't lying. 'Just try not to get too drunk.' He said, before nodding at the table where Jack was waiting, Ianto hurried over feeling rather self-conscious.

He sat down quickly; Jack raised an eyebrow at the boy's expression, and then sighed.

'What did he say?' Jack asked and Ianto swallowed.

'He said I should be careful around you.' Ianto said slowly, 'that you were working for Torchwood' Jack looked confused and then annoyed.

'Show's how much attention he pays to the word outside this bar, there is no Torchwood anymore.' He said with a shrug, 'what else did he say?' Jack asked, and Ianto looked down 'Come on,' he said 'that couldn't have been the only warning he gave you – Zabrox has a love of sticking his oar in where it's not wanted.' Ianto cleared his throat.

'He said if you weren't working for Torchwood then you're trying to,' he cleared his throat again '…get into my pants.' Jack blinked and then burst into laughter; Ianto looked at him, waiting for an actual comment.

'Typical,' said Jack eventually, 'he knows me far too well.' Ianto frowned, but Jack quickly added 'don't worry about it kid, the thought hadn't even crossed my mind.' Ianto looked at him pointedly.

'Now that,' he said, 'was a lie.' Jack grinned guiltily.

'O.k. Mr Lie-detector, maybe it _has_ crossed my mind, but I do recall that it was _you _who kissed _me_ in the first place – that makes _you_ the instigator here.'

'I didn't hear you complaining.' Ianto huffed; he then looked at Jack for a second before leaving over the table and kissing Jack again, this time more slowly, and for considerably longer, than before. Eventually the two pulled away, the both needed to breathe after all. Jack sat back smiling and took a drink of his glowing drink, looking pleased with himself. Ianto picked up his own bottle and sniffed at it tentatively – it smelled quite strongly of spearmint, he sipped at it and found that it actually tasted of vanilla, Ianto elected to drink a bit more before Jack broke the silence.

'Do you kiss random guys a lot? He asked, Ianto pretended to ponder this for a second.

'More often than my dad would like.' He said with a grin, and Jack laughed.

'Rhys doesn't approve then?' He asked, and Ianto shrugged.

'He's not bad about it or anything,' Ianto said 'though you should have seen his face when I brought my first boy-friend home.' Jack chuckled.

'I can just imagine it.' He said, 'your mum doesn't mind though?' Jack asked and Ianto smiled.

'When I told her she just seemed to think it was really funny – she said it was "_bloody typical_"' Ianto mimicked Gwen's voice so perfectly that Jack's heart missed a beat. Ianto gave Jack a disparaging look.

'You're not gay though' he said frankly, Jack raised his eyebrows.

'How do you figure that?' he asked, frowning. Ianto shrugged.

'Two reasons.' He answered, 'Firstly, because I can tell – just as an example – that you are just as attracted to that green woman at the next table as you are to me.' He said sadly, and before Jack could argue he added: 'And secondly because of the feelings that go through your head whenever I mention my mum.' Jack looked completely stunned by this, and his emotions became a flurry of annoyance, shame and sadness, he lifted up a hand and massaged his temples.

'Your little trick there is going to pretty annoying pretty quickly.' He said with a grimace and Ianto looked away.

'Tell me about it.' He said miserably, 'I mean, it's hardly my ideal night out where the guy I'm with has a thing for my _mother_.' Jack had the common sense to look guilty, and Ianto took a long drink from his bottle, 'look, maybe I should leave.' He said, standing up quickly without looking at Jack's face, but the older man reached out and grabbed his hand. Jack's feelings raced through Ianto's head, now unbelievably strong and clear – Jack wanted him to stay, _needed_ him to stay. So Ianto sat back down, and Jack's relief washed over him.

'Thank you' Jack said simply, Ianto didn't reply so Jack took a long breath before saying; 'The thing with me and your mom,' he started, 'I loved Gwen, I loved her so much and, just once, she told me that she loved me too. But she wasn't about to leave your father, and she did love him something rotten – it used to drive me mad because I could never see why,' Ianto snorted at this. 'And I was, I was in a relationship too. So she married Rhys, and well, that was it.' Jack finished lamely, Ianto nodded thoughtfully.

'O.k.' he said simply after a moments pause, Jack looked confused.

'O.k.?' he asked frowning, 'it's just o.k.?' Ianto nodded

'It's fine,' he smiled awkwardly. 'I mean, why shouldn't it be – all this happened before I was born so it's not like…' He stopped suddenly, something was wrong. He turned around and noticed a large thickset alien with two heads and bright orange skin was watching them from the other side of the room, and he was thinking very, very violently. Ianto quickly turned away, the blood draining from his face, Jack looked concerned.

'What's wrong?' he asked, at peered over Ianto's shoulder to where the boy had been looking but Ianto shook his head urgently.

'Don't look!' he hissed, and Jack quickly returned his attention to the younger man's face. 'That ugly orange guy over there wants to kill you.' Ianto whispered urgently. Jack didn't look too worried; he sat back and emitted a sense of vague amusement.

'Does he now?' Jack asked, smirking. Ianto must have looked alarmed so Jack quickly added 'don't worry about it kid…' but he didn't get to finish as Ianto blanched and froze – the orange alien was stood at their table.

Ianto couldn't bring himself to move, the intent to kill rolled off the alien's massive frame in waves, he watched, overwhelmed as the alien stared at Jack, who was happily ignoring him. The alien's anger was increasing steadily over each passing second, Ianto slowly turned his head to look at its face. Its two heads had large square jaws with jutting mouths which in turn displayed four long serrated tusks, capped off by long protruding noses each with two black, pig-like eyes sat above them. The alien reached out with a heavily muscled arm and grabbed Jack by his coat, Jack finally elected to take notice of the larger being's presence.

'Can I help you?' he asked disinterestedly. The alien narrowed its beady eyes.

'Time-agent.' Its two mouths hissed, Ianto winced at its growl of a voice but Jack simply raised an eyebrow and attempted to remove the hand from his coat lapel.

'That's _ex_ time-agent, buddy.' He said forcefully but the orange man didn't back down.

'All ex-agents now, still causing trouble – still pull my brother out of time-stream.' He spat into Jack's confused face, '_New _Time agency – even worse than first, one less agent is major improvement.' He then started to lift Jack up off the floor, and Ianto realised that he really was going to snap Jack clean in half, so he reacted without thinking - turning his chair before lifting up both his feet and driving them into the side of the alien man's knees with all the force he could muster. It didn't do as much as he was hoping. The alien dropped Jack and quickly turned his attention to Ianto, shoving him against the wall as slowly sliding him up it by the throat. Ianto thrashed about helplessly as his windpipe was crushed and his lungs started to scream for air.

That agony filled moment seemed to last forever, and Ianto's vision had started to turn red at the edges when he was slowly lowered back to the floor, and the aliens massive hand was gently removed from his throat. He collapsed to the floor, gratefully taking as many ragged breaths as he could fit into each second, and also trying to clear his head – the alien's mind had been, well, it had been just as ugly as the rest of it. He tried to raise his eyes to take in the situation but couldn't find the strength, and so instead just stayed on his knees, and felt the new waves of hostility flying around about his head. Now Jack was the one with the urge to kill. He had pulled his revolver out of its holster and had it held firmly against one of the alien's temples.

'Now,' Jack said quietly, quietly and dangerously, 'you can pull the tough guy thing on me all you like, but picking on the kid?' He cocked the gun 'Not, a good idea. Now step away from him before I open up that thick skull of yours.' The alien man grunted and took a step back, glaring at Jack down the gun's barrel. 'Good boy,' Jack said pleasantly, 'now what's all this _New Time-Agency_ rubbish?' The alien simply growled, Jack shrugged. 'Whatever,' he dismissed, 'just beat it.' The alien glanced down at Ianto but Jack just drove the revolver harder into its skin. 'Beat. It.' He repeated, and the orange man slowly backed away, before turning on its heel and stalking out of the bar. Jack watched it go impassively, before immediately crouching on the floor next to Ianto, who still hadn't managed to calm his breathing. Jack gently eased him into a sitting position and rested a hand on the boy forehead; Ianto's blush went unnoticed as his face was already red.

'Are you all right?' he asked, ever fibre of his being emanating extreme concern. Ianto tried to smile.

'I'm fine.' He tried to say but it came out as more of a cough so Jack quickly helped him back into his chair, Ianto smiled gratefully and took a long gulp from his glowing drink. 'I'm fine,' Ianto repeated, 'just fine.' Jack shook his head, sitting down and drinking from his own bottle.

'I should take you home.' Jack said miserably, 'this was a mistake, it's too dangero…'

'If you were going to say it's too dangerous for me, you better not finish that sentence.' Ianto growled, sounding pretty dangerous himself. He was not about to bow out now, not after a little scuffle – he'd been in worse fights just with some of the prats back at uni, even if they weren't seven foot tall bright orange beast men with two heads. This was so far the most amazing night of his life, and he was not about to let the gorgeous man who was sat in front of him chicken out because he felt a little guilty 'Now I have so far had two alien encounters, and neither of them has been particularly pleasant.' Jack looked at him confused. 'Third time lucky?' Ianto ventured, and Jack just looked at him blankly.

'Are you serious?' Jack asked, and Ianto could tell that the older man didn't believe what he was hearing. The welsh boy smiled sweetly.

'Deadly serious.' He said frankly, and Jack blinked. 'Really, you know my mum right? I am just as stubborn – and not to mention just as crazy – as she is. Hell, I'd say I'm crazier.' Ianto added with a grin, and he felt Jack's will to take him home break.

'Crazier than Gwen?' the American asked, 'that's a pretty big claim – you sure you can back it up?' he asked teasingly.

'You sure you can handle it?' the boy shot back without a moments pause, and he smiled at Jack's confident laugh.

'I'll give it a go.' He said, and craned his neck to have a clearer look around the club; Ianto followed his gaze which had settled on a table in the far corner. 'They should be good for a chat.' Jack stated matter-of-factly. Ianto tried to get a better look but the corner was almost pitch-black.

'Who?' he asked excitedly, and Jack grinned.

'The Vampires.' He said.

* * *

**So that was chapter 3.**

**This took faaaar too long to write, but that's mostly because this chapter is very different - and much longer - than originally planned, the awkward conversation for example (which had me cringing whilst I was writing it) was _not_ meant to happen here - if at all, but it just sorta happened, I suppose it's a tip of the hat to JackxGwen fans (although I don't like the pairing myself)**

**The next chapter is summat i'm looking forward to writing, so there shouldn't be such a long wait for it.**

**Reviewers get Thalaxian Congos - _"The very best drink that comes in bright pink!"_**


	4. Interview with the Vampires

Beautiful, just beautiful. That was the only word that Ianto could think of when he and Jack arrived at the corner the older man had pointed out. Two men and a woman, they looked like they were made from pure light in the shadows. The three aliens looked up politely at the two men suddenly stood at the table.

'Can we help you?' One of the men asked, and Ianto just couldn't stop staring at him. The vampire's face was completely perfect, and glowed softly in the half-light, he had long dark hair that was tied in a loose knot, but left two bangs framing his gorgeous face, the gorgeous face which held two slightly disconcerting crimson eyes which were looking at Jack and Ianto questioningly. Somewhere in the back of Ianto's head, he registered that Jack was talking.

'So, long story short, my date here just really hasn't been having the best of experiences with non-humans today,' the American explained simply, 'so we were wondering if you fine gentlemen and lady would allow us to buy you some drinks, and then you swap us some stories?' Ianto's attention was immediately dragged away from the beautiful alien's face, and straight back onto Jack's equally gorgeous one, he had _definitely _said 'date' there. Ianto couldn't help but smile at the thought, and it was another moment before he realised that the alien had replied, and that Jack had already seated himself at their table.

'You gonna sit kid?' he asked lazily, and Ianto hurriedly sat himself down in the vacant space next to the alien woman, she smiled at him kindly and he registered that she was worried that they might be scaring him.

'Yes, thanks.' Ianto said hurriedly and the vampire woman beamed at him – Ianto was vaguely disturbed to see that she did have slightly pointed teeth. 'I'm Ianto Cooper, nice to meet you.' He quickly added, and all three vampires nodded whilst Jack rolled his eyes, amused by the boy's politeness.

'Nice to meet you Ianto.' the female replied happily, she also had long dark hair that Ianto could have sworn might have actually been a shade of blue, though her red eyes were a much lighter shade than the man's – almost pink. 'My name is Sophie,' she said – pronouncing Sophie as though it were French, 'This is Leroux' she gestured to the man whom Ianto had been staring at earlier, who nodded amiably 'and this is Noom.' The remaining vampire also smiled in greeting, he had short spiky red hair – an actual blood red, it matched his eyes in a way that made Ianto's vision hurt. Ianto waited for someone to say something, but noticed that it seemed to be him who was meant to speak first, so he cleared his throat and immediately stated the obvious.

'So,' he started nervously, 'Jack says you're vampires.' The three blinked, looked at each other and then burst into laughter, Ianto didn't have time to be insulted as his thoughts were immediately taken up by how beautiful their laughter sounded – like some wonderful piece of music.

'What a lazy thing to say!' The first male - Leroux - said, once the three had stopped laughing. 'We're not vampires – we're Elunoirs.' This hardly helped clear up Ianto's confusion, Sophie rolled her eyes.

'Vampires does just fine really,' she said kindly 'our race is just one of the cultures your people have based your mythology of 'vampires' on. However, our appearance is the only trait we share with the myth – that and the fact that we cannot comfortably exist during the day on a world like yours - we can't withstand any large amounts of ultraviolet light.' Sophie explained, and Ianto nodded.

'You don't mind though? Being referred to as vampires' Ianto qualified, not wanting to cause any offence to these incredibly polite beings.

'Not at all.' Noom said, 'In fact, Sophie here probably takes it as a compliment – she loves vampire stories.' Jack raised an eyebrow at this.

'Why is that?' the captain asked, finally deigning to join the conversation. Sophie sighed at the question, and Ianto felt the mood of all three aliens turn rather melancholy.

'Elunoiran culture is practically non-existent,' she said sadly, and the two men nodded in agreement, 'Our planet fell along with our entire solar-system to a black hole many generations ago – the remnants of our race are nomadic, and have little time to dwell on our past.' She looked away from the group, and Ianto glared at Jack – did he really have to bring up such a sensitive subject? After a moment Sophie sighed, before looking back at Ianto and Jack, the pretty smile again on her face, 'But your species has created an entire culture around a being that doesn't even exist! It's fascinating.' The woman's enthusiasm shone through in both her eyes and aura, 'It's almost as if we don't even _need_ our own culture – though of course, we don't go around drinking human blood.' Ianto tried not to show his relief at this assurance, but Noom and Leroux both started to laugh – along with Jack.

'You were obviously worried.' The red haired vampire chortled, and Ianto nodded shamefacedly.

'He probably still is.' Said Leroux amiably, 'after all we could be lying for all he knows.' The two male vampires smirked and Sophie rolled her eyes.

'But I know you're not lying.' Ianto blurted out, and Jack grinned – Ianto could tell that he was finding the entire situation very amusing. The three aliens looked highly sceptical.

'And how exactly did you know that?' Noom asked interestedly, Ianto didn't really want to have to explain it all twice in one night, but Jack came to his rescue.

'The boy's psychic.' The American said proudly, and Ianto couldn't help but feel a little proud – he'd never had his ability referred to in such a positive voice before.

'Really?' Sophie asked excitedly and Ianto nodded, embarrassed by her enthusiasm. 'I didn't think that it was a common human trait – have you had training? You seem too young to have gone through such a process, no offence.' She added quickly and Ianto shook his head.

'No, it's just something I could always do.' He said, 'Reading emotions, catching glimpses of what people are thinking, planning – I can read proper thoughts sometimes, but only if I'm touching the person I'm reading.'

'Is it hereditary?' Leroux asked, and Ianto sensed Jack's discomfort at the question.

'I don't know.' He admitted, 'I suppose it could be, but I don't think so. Like you said – it's not exactly common.' Leroux nodded thoughtfully.

'I suppose it must just be a sort of evolutionary blip, it happens in all species.' He said, 'I once knew a Elunoiran girl who's mind was stuck about three seconds into the future – she was always answering questions you hadn't quite asked yet, it used to drive her poor pets mad.' The other two vampire's laughed, Ianto wanted to ask more about what the vampires kept as 'pets' but Jack interrupted

'I used to live with a guy like that,' the American said, 'Always two steps ahead, it used to get really annoying. Though he wasn't psychic - just a genius.' Noom looked at him inquisitively.

'A genius?' the alien asked, Jack nodded.

'A doctor.' He replied, but before he could continue – and Ianto was pretty interested in hearing more about this 'doctor' – the strap around the older man's wrist made a sudden shrill noise, causing the entire group to jump.

'What was that?' Ianto asked, 'Isn't that your teleporter?' The three vampires all craned their necks to get a better look at it.

'It's a vortex manipulator not a _teleporter_,' Jack corrected and Ianto pouted, 'and I have no idea what _that_ was.' Jack looked at his wrist strap confusedly, but Ianto registered that he was more worried than anything else.

'An alarm perhaps?' Leroux enquired, and Jack shook his head.

'No, not a warning, it was a…' he stood up suddenly, making everyone start.

'Jack?' Ianto enquired worriedly, Jack smiled reassuringly before turning to their companions.

'My fine lady, gentlemen,' he started confidently 'I unfortunately have to go sort something for a minute or two. Can you mind my friend here while I'm gone?' Noom tilted his had to one side, confused, but quickly nodded along with Leroux and Sophie.

'Of course,' Sophie said, 'it would be our pleasure; your young companion is absolutely delightful.' She said smiling, Noom and Leroux nodded in agreement smiling with equal enthusiasm. Ianto however, was distracted from the compliment by the fact that Jack was buggering off.

'Where are you going?' the younger man demanded quietly. Jack walked around to stand behind him, bending down to whisper in Ianto's ear.

'Just got to go check something,' he said reassuringly, and Ianto shivered at the feel of the older man's breath against his ear, 'I'll be right back.' Jack promised, and Ianto nodded.

'O.k.' he said after a moment, and looked round to see Jack smiling happily.

'Good.' Said Jack with a grin, before kissing Ianto quickly, but deeply, on the mouth. 'Catch ya later cutie.' He said, turning and walking quickly out of the club. Ianto watched him go, still feeling a little put-out.

'Your boyfriend is very nice.' Noom pointed out conversationally, and Ianto grimaced.

'He's not my boyfriend.' He said miserably, and Sophie tutted sympathetically, patting him on the shoulder.

'Looking at you I would have said you were pretty close' she said, and Ianto shrugged.

'How about we get some drinks?' Leroux asked, and Ianto nodded – a drink seemed a nice idea.

'O.k. then!' The dark haired vampire replied happily, rubbing his hands together excitedly.

'It's going to be getting lighter soon.' Noom commented, 'We shouldn't really stay here for much longer, I'm going to go up to the room.' Sophie scowled.

'Noom, you are so _boring,_' she complained, 'we don't have to go to the room yet.' Noom shrugged and stood up, Sophie stood as well, glaring at the red-head, and Ianto registered the sudden annoyance flying around his head.

'Why don't we all just go drink in the room?' Suggested Leroux peaceably, 'you wouldn't mind would you Ianto? We'll leave a note with the bar-man to tell your friend where you are – we'll only be upstairs.' Ianto tried not to look nervous, but he didn't want to cause anymore hostility – the Eluniors were so nice.

'Of course not.' He reassured them quickly, Leroux and Sophie both beamed.

'Brilliant!' Sophie exclaimed, 'Leroux, grab a cocktail menu – we'll get room service.' She grabbed Ianto by the arm, 'Come on, let's head up.'

---

Jack was smiling again as he walked out of Hitchhikers, this evening… This evening, he had felt more alive than he had in years. So many years. The kid, he was so like Gwen, but also so different. He was just so…

'Not the time.' He corrected himself sharply; the vortex manipulator had come in with readings of another manipulator being used in the area.

That was _never_ good.

* * *

**Ok, another short chapter - and yet it's still taken me over a week to get it done, *total fail***

**The next chapter however should be quite a bit longer - if the amount of stuff that I have in my plans for chap 5 is anything to go by.**

**I quite like this chapter personally, I think the vampires are fun to write - and i've finally got the hang of Ianto's POV, which initially caused me some problems ^^"**

**Hope y'all liked, anyway.**

**Reviewers get to go get smashed on cocktails with Ianto, Sophie, Noom and Leroux - or not, i'm no fan of drinking myself. ^^"""**


	5. Outside interests part 1

Sophie dragged Ianto up the club's back staircase and into a long, plainly decorated corridor of doors – the place really did look like some low-grade hotel.

'How many people are staying here?' He asked, feeling slightly dizzy from all the running – that pink drink seemed to have gone to his head a little bit.

'It's only us at the moment I think.' Sophie replied after some consideration, still holding Ianto's hand as she led him down the seemingly endless corridor, the skin contact giving Ianto a direct look into her mind – she was in a really good mood, and excited at the prospect of teaching him some Elunoiran drinking games.

'Most people move on pretty quickly.' Noom commented, 'They either aren't staying for long anyway or find somewhere better.'

'So it's like a youth hostel?' Ianto asked as they finally stopped outside a room, Sophie letting go of Ianto's hand to fish around in her pockets before producing a shiny key-card. Noom considered this a moment.

'If that's what you humans would call it.' He said frankly, 'Basically, it's cheap and more importantly, it's safe.' Ianto shrunk back from the vampire's harsh tone but he could tell that Noom didn't really mean it. The door opened and Sophie ushered the three men inside, the room was as plain as the corridor, but looked comfortable – and was windowless. There was a large bed in the corner, which Noom immediately jumped on and proceeded to stretch out lazily, Ianto read the improvement in the red-head's mood that accompanied his relief at being away from the windows and the prospect of sunlight.

'It wasn't that cheap.' Leroux grumbled, disappearing into a connecting room that Ianto hadn't initially noticed – through the door he could see that it looked basically the same as the first: bed, chair, desk and no windows.

'Five days isn't too much.' Sophie yelled through the open door, and Leroux stuck his head around the frame, pulling a face.

'It wasn't you who paid.' He shot back, before wandering back into the room and sitting on the bed next to Noom, the red-headed vampire twisted his head around to rest it on Leroux's lap.

'Five days?' asked Ianto, thoroughly confused – he couldn't tell how literal they were being. The two bickering vampires paused and turned towards him – they'd forgotten he was there.

'Elunoirs trade in years.' Noom explained lazily from his relaxed position in Leroux's lap. Sophie gave Leroux a filthy look before stalking off into the other room, cocktail menu in hand, Leroux rolled his eyes and gestured for Ianto to sit down on the room's single chair – and Ianto happily complied.

'How do you 'deal' years?' he asked, and Leroux grinned – Ianto read the pride from both men.

'We sell add-ons to your life-span.' The dark-haired vampire explained, 'anything from an extra day to another hundred years.' Ianto blinked.

'One hundred years?' the boy stuttered, and Noom laughed.

'Some species haven't got the biology to handle that much.' He admitted, 'A human, like you, for example could probably only handle around five months before their body, and mental state, started to deteriorate.' Ianto blinked, not quite comprehending what he was hearing.

'You sell life?' he asked incredulously, and the vampires beamed at him – their pride practically tangible.

'And that's one of our more _basic_ technologies.' Noom boasted. 'I mean, sure the fact that we are the _only_ species in _history_ to master the production, storage and application life-force for the masses is cool.' Leroux sniggered at his friend's bragging, but Noom continued unperturbed. 'But before Nimenia - that's our planet - was destroyed, we had technologies that could raise the dead!' the red-head sat up suddenly, starting to emphasise his words with excited hand-movements. His enthusiasm was infectious. 'A machine that could actually transfer life from a living volunteer into a corpse!'

'Though of course we can't do that anymore.' Leroux added and Noom pouted, Ianto had no idea what to say to these revelations – it was mind-boggling.

'This is the most unbelievable thing I've ever heard.' He said, laughing. 'You can give people life? Seriously?' The two men nodded happily, and Noom stood up suddenly, grinning mischievously.

'Would you like to see some?' he asked, and Ianto could only think to nod eagerly – this was beyond weird, and Ianto knew weird. Noom grinned and dashed into the other room where Ianto heard him talk quickly to Sophie – though he couldn't actually tell what the two were saying. Leroux stretched his arms out, yawning.

'I wonder if Sophie picked any drinks yet.' He mused, and Ianto shrugged – after the slight fuzz in his head that the first drink had caused, he wasn't really looking forward to cocktails. Ianto was known around the Uni for not having the highest alcohol tolerance, wait a minute – was this stuff even alcohol? He made a mental note to ask when Sophie came back.

'O.k. then!' Noom jumped back into the room, hiding something behind his back. Leroux rolled his eyes, and Ianto sat up straight – this he had to see. The excited vampire stood in front of Ianto and brought out a clenched fist from behind his back, 'This,' he said dramatically, 'is twelve weeks of life.', and then opened his fist, dropping it's contents into Ianto outstretched hand.

It was a ring, a small ring – a man couldn't have worn it – with a thin silver band that was covered with countless tiny diamonds, each glowing softly. Ianto eyed it suspiciously.

'It's really,' he paused, searching for the right word 'little.', Leroux burst into another fit of musical laughter whilst Noom frowned, Ianto quickly backtracked. 'I mean, it's one of the most beautiful things I've seen in my life.' And it was. 'But I just thought it would be some sort of,' he tried, and failed, to think of a word 'big_ thing.'_ He finished weakly, Noom laughed then, his voice joining the melody of Leroux's, but it was good natured, and Ianto couldn't help but smile. Once the laughter had stopped Leroux leaned forward and began to explain.

'The metal the ring is cast from,' he said, pointing to the inside of the ring where the metal was mostly visible, 'is called Luman, it's one of the least reactive metals in existence, it's non magnetic, its heat can't go lower than 293.15 degrees kelvin or higher than 373.15 degrees kelvin – not without some real effort anyway, it doesn't rust, doesn't conduct electricity, it's a complete bitch to do anything at all with really – but the one thing it does do, is conduct _life_.' Ianto immediately dropped it; he didn't want it conducting any life out of _him_. However, Noom quickly scooped it up and held it out again.

'It won't do anything to you.' Leroux said from behind him, 'it conducts life out of those jewels there, into a body that's no longer supplying its own – it has no effect on the living.' Ianto reluctantly took the ring back from Noom, and inspected the jewels. They looked less like diamonds than he had originally thought, and more like tiny pieces of glass, each independently lit from within with a white-blue light.

'Each gem is one day.' Noom explained, 'you could have a ring with just one set in, or a larger one like that.' Ianto turned it over and over again in his palm; he was having a Lord of the Rings moment.

'We traditionally put them on the hand,' Leroux added, 'so if you bought a large quantity of life – more than would go on one or two rings – we would fashion a bracelet or two, maybe even a glove.'

'Why on the hand?' Ianto asked, and Noom shrugged.

'It's just some silly old Elunoiran belief;' he said, 'the hands are places of power, always have been. Though I think I saw someone with a necklace once, it must have been made to order.' He mused.

'What do you two have?' Ianto asked, and the two vampires blinked, Ianto read surprise and distaste from the two of them.

'Blessed Nimenia!' Leroux said, shaking his head, '_We_ don't use the stuff.' Noom nodded his agreement.

'Oh, sorry.' Ianto said, but it really just lead to another question. 'Why don't you use them?' he asked, as politely as possible.

'Well,' Noom started, and Ianto could tell the felt suddenly quite self-conscious, 'it's because we don't _need_ to.' Ianto raised an eyebrow, but Noom didn't finish. Leroux however, let out a long sigh.

'The average life-span of an Elunoiran male is about 2500 years, and a woman even longer – adding even an extra day onto that is considered a terrible sin.' He said gravely, and Ianto couldn't formulate a coherent reply.

'Two-thousand…' he stated dumbly, Noom and Leroux both looked embarrassed. Ianto just couldn't stop staring. 'How old are you?' he eventually managed to choke out.

'I'm one-thousand, four-hundred and eighty-six years old,' Noom admitted, 'But Leroux here is ancient.' He said wickedly, and Leroux scowled.

'Two-thousand and one is hardly ancient.' He huffed, 'Besides, Sophie's got another two-hundred years on me.'

'Discussing a lady's age in front of guests is not polite Leroux dear.' Leroux's head snapped around, Sophie had finally come back from the other room.

'Sorry Sophie.' He said, but Sophie just grinned. 'Just keep in mind to respect your elders next time.' She said good-naturedly, tapping his head with the cocktail menu, she then settled down on the bed next to the other two – Ianto felt rather self-conscious for being on the only chair.

'Got a drink yet?' Noom asked, and Sophie shook her head.

'I'm trying to find something that both humans and Elunoirs can drink – there's not the biggest selection, take a look' Sophie handed the menu to Leroux, who began to leaf through it, the woman then noticed the ring in Ianto's hand, 'What do you think of it?' she asked. Ianto smiled.

'It's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.' He said truthfully, and Sophie grinned.

'Wait till you see the co…' she started, but was interrupted by Leroux.

'There's a perfectly fine drink on the first page,' he said, handing the menu back to Sophie, she took it, before blushing at her mistake.

'So there is.' She said, 'I'll order.' The female vampire went over to the desk by Ianto and picked up the small white phone, dialling 0 for reception, Ianto heard the phone click as some-one picked it up the other end.

'Yes,' Sophie started, 'can I order two trays of,' she checked the menu, '"Bad Wolf" cock-tail shots please.' The person on the other end quickly replied and Sophie smiled, 'Thank you, that's great.' She said cheerily, before replacing the phone on the desk.

'How long will they be?' Noom asked.

'The man said just a minute.' Sophie answered, and Noom smiled.

'Hopefully it actually will be that quick.' The red-head mused.

'With prices at five days a night – it better had be.' Leroux grumbled, Noom, Sophie and Ianto all laughed, and Leroux grinned back, flashing his pointed teeth.

***

Forty minutes later Ianto was drunk, very drunk. He was lying on the floor of the room staring up at the dull strip lighting which he could have sworn was making slow circuits of the ceiling.

'Is the light moving?' he asked no-one in particular. After a second Noom's head peered down at him from the bed, then looked up at the light.

'I think so.' The red-headed vampire slurred, 'Hey Shophie,' he said, before paused for a second struggling with the pronunciation of his friend's name. '_Sophie_, is the light meant to be moving?'

'It's not moving you idiot.' Came the amused reply, Ianto strained his neck to see where Sophie was – she'd gone back into the other room.

'I think the light's still and it's the ceiling that's moving.' Leroux's voice came from the floor on the other side of the bed - he'd fallen off during one of the many Elunoiran drinking games that the three had tried to teach him.

'Did you three finish all those shots?' Sophie asked waltzing back into the room, through the fuzz in his head Ianto registered the two men's annoyance at their companion.

'How are you not drunk?' Leroux demanded, and Ianto wondered the same thing, the drink had slowed his thought-reading process right down – but he could tell that Sophie was entirely sober, and vaguely amused at the three inebriated men.

'I quit drinking half way through Spunkernickle,' she said, and Ianto had to think hard to remember which game that was – he was pretty sure it had been the second one that the vampires had taught him, and, on further contemplation, was the reason that none of the men were wearing shirts. 'I didn't feel the need to incapacitate myself, or start stripping.' She said, smirking.

'Spoilsport.' Noom mumbled, trying to sit up and Sophie laughed. Ianto suddenly felt very nauseous, and was about to start to move towards into the rooms en-suite when he realised that he was reading someone else's nausea. He pulled himself up into a sitting position

'Leroux's gonna throw up.' He said quietly, Sophie's head shot up questioningly, 'Read his mind.' Ianto explained, and the female vampire nodded, quickly pulling the dark-haired man up from the floor and dragging him into the bathroom, where Ianto heard some painful retching sounds. He frowned sympathetically.

'Nice save.' Noom said, reaching down and helping Ianto up onto the bed. '_I_ wouldn't have cleared it up.' He said, leaning against the headboard.

'What can I say?' Ianto said, shifting himself to sit next to the other man, 'I got skills.' Noom laughed and Ianto joined in,

'It must be useful,' Noom pondered after a moment, 'Getting emotions and thoughts off people like that.' Ianto shrugged.

'It's annoying mostly' He said, 'you find out stuff you wouldn't want to know. Like when people are upset or angry, you just know whether they're hiding it or not. You know if someone's lying, if someone's cheating or if they're thinking badly of you, or if they just hate you. You get a front row seat of exactly how screwed up everyone is, you see that they're all miserable, selfish, violent ass-holes who don't give a damn about anyone or anything.' He drew his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them, his good mood gone. He mourned it's passing, and also wondered where his shirt had gone- the room was actually really cold.

'Sorry.' Noom said awkwardly, and Ianto shrugged again.

'Don't get me wrong,' he said, 'People are great and all – and I get to know some wonderful things.' Ianto smiled slightly, 'my parents are great for instance, they're both brilliant, kind people – and they really love each other, being around them is really nice. But for every one wonderful person, there are countless people who just make me wish I could turn my mind off.' He scowled, 'And God knows that I've tried doing that.' Noom patted him on the shoulder sympathetically.

'Let's have more shots.' He said by means of an answer, and jumped off the bed, landing in a very wobbly fashion by the table where the remaining shots were. He grabbed the tray and very carefully walked back over to Ianto, almost spilling them with every single step. Ianto eyed the drinks wearily, he was pretty out of it already – it was a miracle that he'd managed to put that little rant together in the first place – the light was still looping around the ceiling, he was pretty sure the bed was moving, and the most coherent thought that he could read from Noom, even when the vampire had clambered back into his sitting position and their elbows were touching, was that the vampire was just as drunk as he was.

'I don't know if I should.' Ianto mumbled, eyeing the shot-glasses' contents wearily – he must have drank about fifteen of them already, they were an opaque black, but they appeared to have some sort of gold strand floating in the middle – a trick of the light Leroux had said. They tasted, well he wasn't sure what they tasted of – but they sure as hell got you drunk quickly.

'Oh come on,' Noom whined, 'We'll race,' the red-head divided the shots into two groups of four. 'First to finish without, um, dying or summat.' Ianto raised an eyebrow, Noom was obviously much more drunk than him – he could _so_ win this.

'O.k.' Ianto said confidently, and Noom punched the air.

'Score!' he crowed, and then shifted himself around so him and Ianto were facing each other, 'Ready, set, and Go!' Ianto immediately downed the first shot, and then promptly fell off the bed.

'Damn.' He groaned, obviously that had been the pillow that broke the camel's back – no, wait, 'S'not pillow.' He mumbled and tried to sit up, but the room seemed to want him on the floor so he quickly settled back down again. Noom peered over the side of the bed, smirking.

'You fail, pretty boy.' He teased, and Ianto tried to shove his face away but couldn't quite manage to get his hand to work properly.

'Shuddup.' He groaned, his head was so muddled that he couldn't even get anything from Noom's mind – Ianto had never been _this_ out of it in his entire life. Noom laughed.

'Oh yes! _Another_ example of Elunoiran superiority.' He said, 'We can drink you right off the bed.' However, whilst saying this Noom tried to stand up, instead just falling straight off the bed himself, ending up next to Ianto on the floor. 'Oops.' He giggled, 'You have brought me down to your level human – well done.' Noom declared with mock severity, and Ianto laughed at that, Noom quickly joining in, with the twenty-one year old human and the thousand and however-many year old alien both rolling around in fits of hysterical laugher – too drunk to do anything else. Neither of them noticed when Sophie came back into the room. She looked at them both disparagingly.

'Did you drink even more?' she asked incredulously, and Noom looked up at her before waving.

'Hi Sophie!' he slurred, 'We weren't going to drink any more – honest - but then Ianto was getting all sad at how people on this planet are all lamo jerks, so I shaid we should finish the shots to cheer up.' Sophie raised an eyebrow, looking down at Ianto, who had now stopped laughing and was practically asleep.

'He doesn't like the people here?' she asked, and Noom shook his head thoroughly, before promptly going cross-eyed from the motion.

'Nu-uh,' he said, 'he says they're all _meanies_.' Sophie nodded, looking down at Ianto thoughtfully.

'He is an interesting creature.' She pondered aloud. 'And most humans are indeed quite beastly.' Noom nodded his agreement.

'He seems to like ush though.' Noom added proudly, and Sophie nodded again, her expression still thoughtful. 'And he's shychic, which is _totally_ cool.' Sophie crouched down next to Ianto's now sleeping form.

'Very cool.' She agreed quietly, she reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Ianto's forehead, he groaned and opened his eyes.

'Your head's all fuzzy.' He mumbled sleepily, narrowing his eyes in frustration – she was actually touching his forehead and he couldn't read her mind at all, the alcohol in his system clouded everything. Sophie ignored his comment and instead turned to look at Noom again.

'We should keep him.' she said, her voice now serious, her hand still on Ianto's forehead, and through the fuzz of alcohol, he managed to glean one terribly clear thought from her mind; one image.

Sophie moved her hand from Ianto's forehead to his mouth as the boy started to scream.

* * *

**Well, **_**this**_** took long enough didn't it? **

**Truth be told this has been written for weeks - I was just never happy with it, but I left it so long I could no longer remember **_**why**_** I wasn't happy with it, and neither could my beta, so I just neatened it up quickly and here it is ^^'**

**So here we get a look at where the story might be going, or maybe not - I mean, **_**I **_**know where it's going, but i'm writing it and have something of an unfair advantage on that point. **

**This is where I always planned to mention what Ianto's theme(song) is, which is 'Spaceman' by The Killers, what goes on in the next couple of chapters in entirely down to that song XP**

**Anywho, reviews would be particularly appreciated this time - you don't have to say much, it would just be nice to know if I still have readers.**

**Love you all and so very, very sorry to have kept you waiting.**

**Also sorry that there's no Jack in this chapter - you'll see him in the next XP**


	6. Outside Interests part 2

It was still raining as Jack walked quickly down another London street, he'd forgotten how much each street looked the same – ten minutes into tracking the signal; and he wasn't quite sure where he was any more. That said, he wasn't lost – definitely _not_ lost. But he was cold, he briefly wished that he still had his coat, but he quickly shook the thought from his head – he'd got rid of the damned thing for a reason, all the blood it was covered in, visible or not. But _damn_ it was cold. He picked up his pace a little, starting into a brisk jog, the signal was close – barely five minutes walk – but at least this would warm him up a bit. However he came to an abrupt halt when he heard an unexpected noise – his phone was ringing.

'What the hell?' he muttered – nobody had this number, he wasn't even sure why he carried the phone around with him, out of comfort he supposed - he could pretend that he had someone to call. Moping aside, his attention was dragged back to the question at hand; someone was calling _him_. He flipped the little phone open and held it next to his ear.

'Hello?' he greeted cautiously, and nearly dropped the phone at the explosive reply.

'So where did you _go_ exactly?' Ianto's excited voice rang out of the mobile and Jack blinked.

'How did you get his number?' he demanded, exasperated, and he could have sworn he heard the boy giggle.

'Picked it straight out of your head when I kissed you at the bar,' Ianto admitted 'didn't want you running off again.' Jack could just picture the smirk on the younger man's face – they were going to have to have a talk about mental boundaries.

'Y'know, some people would call that stalking.' He said coldly and Ianto made a dismissive noise,

'Yeah, yeah.' He muttered, 'So _anyway_, where are you? Your wristy-thing beeps and you go running off, without me I might add, and with no offer of an explanation. So start explaining.' Jack ran a hand through his hair and frowned.

'What, you can't read my mind over the phone?' he muttered and Ianto growled quietly.

'Shut up.' He muttered, 'Of course I can't.' Jack grinned at that; boundaries – always good. 'Just _tell_ me.' The boy started to whine, but then he was cut off by other voices in the background.

'Hello? You still there?' Jack asked and after another flurry of voices in the background the boy replied.

'Err, yeah.' Ianto answered, sounding embarrassed. 'So, the drinks are here so they want me off the phone.' Jack raised an eyebrow.

'Drinks?' he asked.

'Yeah; shots,' the boy admitted, 'that said… I don't know if I can actually drink them or not. They could be deadly poison for all I know.' Jack didn't even think before replying,

'I can always give you the kiss of life.' He said smoothly, and he heard Ianto laugh.

'I'll hold you to that.' The boy said, and then he hung up. Jack was left smiling idiotically at the phone, the kid didn't cease to be interesting. That said, he was also distracting – Jack had a signal to track. He looked at the vortex manipulator and promptly swore – the signal had moved while he was on the phone, it was a good twenty minutes run away, and in the opposite direction. With a groan Jack turned around and ran back the way he'd come; this was starting to get annoying.

To top it off the sun was coming up agonisingly slowly, it was still practically pitch black out here, and Jack had run into an unpleasant amount of bins and other refuse in the dark alleys he was using as shortcuts. And what didn't really help his concentration was the fact that he was now getting the occasional text message whilst he ran.

_Hi Jack!_

_Might not be able to talk but I can still text and drink! See? – Totally living the stalker persona here!!_

_Ianto xx_

Jack had put his foot through a discarded bin-bag when trying to text a reply to that one – he sucked at thumb-typing.

_Kiddo, glad to see that you are being more open about your obsessive nature here – but I am **trying** to do something remember._

The reply came after about five minutes and Jack had nearly smashed his face on a fire escape whilst he retrieved his phone from his jeans pocket.

_Well seeing as you won't tell me __**what**__ you're doing, I'm not gonna believe you're doing **anything** and are therefore sooooooo free to text lil' ol' me. _

After stopping for a second to think of an eloquent response, which he rather failed at;

_Shouldn't you be drinking or something?_

Jack continued running towards the signal, only to get an almost immediate response.

_I __**am **__drinking – and it's not poison! Looks like I'll have to pass on that kiss of life…_

_...what a waste. XP_

Jack couldn't help but stop again at that one. He was a little rusty on the flirting after all. After a moment still jogging whilst thinking of a reply, he decided to go with simple and direct.

_I'm sure we can find some other reason._

The reply was slower this time, and the vortex manipulator was letting out a steady whine to show he was rapidly gaining on his target, when his phone buzzed as he dodged through some of the early hour's traffic on a busyish side road.

_You need a **reason** for that kind of thing? I mean, Leroux just took my shirt off and I've known you for like, a __whole** hour**__ longer than I've known him, so it should really be you who's..._

At that point Jack was rather rudely interrupted from his reading as he was killed by a white van that came speeding round a corner.

A minute and a half later, Jack came around to the not so pleasant sight of the van's owner's thick-set face staring down at him.

'Oh thank god you're alive.' The man exclaimed in a thick cockney accent, 'for a moment I thought I'd killed you.' Jack blinked, trying to clear his head of the fuzz that cropped up whenever he came back to life.

'Where's my phone?' he asked hoarsely, pulling himself up. The man immediately started fretting about Jack standing but Jack shushed him and asked after his phone again. The man looked confused.

'I didn't see you with a phone.' He admitted, and Jack looked around before spotting it on the floor behind him – it was broken in two. Jack picked it up and glared at the driver, who simply looked even more confused as he inspected the ruined mobile.

'That's mean to be a phone?' he asked non-plussed, 'it's huge.' Jack rolled his eyes and then remembered exactly what he'd been reading when he'd died, without thinking he lashed out and punched the driver in the gut – not too hard, but still a good one. The man doubled over painfully.

'Oh come on mate,' he gasped, 'I know I hit you, but you don't seem too badly hurt.' Jack just glared again,

'That was not for running me over.' He growled, '_That_ was because I would _really _have liked to know how that text ended.' Without waiting for a reply, he ran off to chase the signal once again, now with the image of the kid without his shirt on firmly ingrained into his mind.

---

The rain stung Jack's eyes as he tore down another alleyway, but he was glad about two things; one – the constant rain was gradually getting rid of the blood on his jacket, the jacket was black so it hardly showed, but he _hated _being covered in his own blood like that. And two – his surroundings were much more familiar now he looked around. He was back towards Piccadilly; not too far from where he'd first met the boy earlier – and he had a sinking feeling that that wasn't a coincidence. He slowed down as the signal strength measured as immediate, turning the manipulator onto standby so it made no signal of its own. Looking around warily he walked out in front of one of the larger shops, where a small group or people were watching a girl perched under an umbrella singing nursery rhymes softly whilst playing guitar. Jack glanced at her briefly before looking around at the people watching her – just shoppers, a family of tourists all wearing cheap merchandise, and a young couple, standing slightly to the side, not listening to the girl – just standing, standing and looking intently to something on each of their wrists.

'Gotcha.' Jack muttered, slowly moving towards them through the crowd.

Stood a few feet to their left, Jack regarded them wearily. They were both young – they didn't look long out of their teens – and they were both obviously out of their times. For a start; the girl, who was stood closest to Jack, was clearly a cyborg. She was wearing a long black coat, probably chosen to blend in, however her shock of white hair and glowing right eye weren't really helping with that. Jack tried to get a better look at the eye, hoping to date her time if origin from it - it was definitely a good piece of tech, it probably would have passed for real if it weren't for the colour – florescent yellow was not very 21st century, in fact, 53rd century was probably more like it – and at the very earliest too. The boy she was with on the other hand, appeared to be ancient Roman, with dark skin and olive eyes along with the shorter stature that most men had had in those days, he also looked distinctly cold as he ran a hand through his shoulder length hair, which had been bleached almost as white as the girl's.

'Charlotte, _what_ are we tracking again?' he asked, rubbing his arms through the dark leather jacket he was wearing; now that Jack heard the boy's accent he knew that he had been right about Rome, native latin speakers tended to take to English quite quickly, but it never sounded _quite_ right. His partner turned to look at him and Jack could hear the frown in her voice.

'One of us,' the girl mumbled, 'I think.' She added after a second, and Jack smirked when the boy rolled his eyes, the girl was obviously the one in charge but she had no idea what she was doing – he was stood right next to them for god's sake.

'You _think_?' he asked incredulously, 'we're here freezing our asses off in the back of beyond because you _think_?'

'Shut up James.' The girl growled, 'the signature was from an old-agency spec vortex manipulator. So it's one of our veterans or…'

'One of the rogues.' James finished for her, 'Oh that is _cool_. The boss would love it if we brought a rogue in!'

'Exactly my dear,' Charlotte said confidently putting an arm around her partner's shoulders and leading him away from the crowd. 'We'll find them, capture them, and then take them back for the boss to have a play with.' The boy giggled unpleasantly in response,

'Poor bastard.' He said. Jack quickly transferred his gaze from the couple back to the guitarist, as the couple walked in front of him, but not quickly enough, and the girl fixed him with a sharp glare from her mix-matched eyes. Jack just chose to look a bit shamefaced, after all – she must have no end of people staring in this time period, and they passed by without a word.

Jack stayed behind watching the busker for a few minutes before slowly turning around and heading back towards the club, right now, more than anything he wanted to confront those two so called time-agents, but he couldn't let that be his priority. The boy was back at Hitchhikers - probably completely stinking drunk by now - and he had to get back to him. Even if going back was just to take him home - things were starting to look much more dangerous than a punch up in a bar and a run in with some Hunters. He had no idea what all this New-Agency crap was but he had never liked the old one, in fact, past the initial shock after being told about it by John he had quite liked the idea of the only time travellers around being the Doctor and co, it was a reassuring thought when he himself was stuck just going forwards day to day. No, a new agency was _definitely _not good news, especially when so far as he knew their entire agent base might consist of irritable 53rd century cyborgs, and slow-witted natives from the stupid ages, who weren't even old enough to own a laser, let alone use a vortex manipulator.

That said, the thought of taking the kid home now was depressing – he'd only known him for a couple of hours. He massaged his temples wearily, for a while there he'd forgotten how bad it was for people just to be near him, he'd felt more at ease than he had in years – and now he had to put a stop to it, he couldn't have anyone else getting hurt. Then again, would the boy even _want_ to see him again? This had hardly been the most pleasant of evenings, and despite the fact that there was an evident bit of attraction going on – no amount of self-loathing could quite silence _that_ side of Jack's nature – there was no denying the fact that Jack had just ran off on his own, leaving the kid with those vampires instead. He was probably having a great time too, Jack had known a few of the nomadic vamps here and there – had even been pretty darn friendly with a gorgeous Elunoiran girl called Louise a few years before he'd met the Doctor and Rose – and they were a nice, interesting lot, albeit a bit weird. They'd probably be totally in love with the little psychic within five minutes – he seemed to have that kind of personality, and after that last text… Hell if the boy got too bored with waiting for Jack he'd probably run off with them as a fricking Talmara, then again, maybe not, the kid didn't really seem to be the 'pet' type. But sure as he was about that, he couldn't help but start to move a little faster as he turned back to run again.

* * *

**Wow, I managed to leave only a week between updates - that is like the most major of major achievements for me ^^"**

**I hope y'all liked this chapter - I quite like this chapter, but thats because I find drunken Ianto's texting to be grade A adorable - but that could just be me I suppose.**

**What's a Talmara I wonder... I also wonder what's happened to poor Ianto whilst Jack's been away, well _I_ don't wonder - but my beta does and that's very nearly the same thing. XP**

**Thank you all so much for being patient and your lovely reviews! - they make me so happy ^^**

**Next chap next week - brownies honour! And a brownie for reviewers whilst i'm at it!**


	7. Collar and Chain

**There's a long A/N at the end of this one folks, please take time to read it.**

**Also, since I am talking at the start of a chapter for once, I don't own Torchwood, Doctor Who or any of the characters or such within. Though I do own my oc's and seeing as this fics mostly ocs this disclaimer is stupid - you know I don't own Jack.**

* * *

Hitchhikers was just closing up for the day when Jack finally arrived at the entrance, soaking wet and more out of breath than he would have liked. He pushed open the neon doors and slumped into the club, maybe he'd grab a drink – he had an indistinct but annoying ache where the van had killed him and a hypervodka would probably do him the world of good. However, before his plan of sitting back down with a couple of massive shots could take place he noticed a critical piece of information – they were gone. Jack felt an involuntary rise of panic in his chest and he quickly ran over to the bar.

'ZABROX!' He yelled, banging his fist against the counter, 'Get your washed up ass up here!' Jacks fury was slightly abated by the four-eyed mans appearance peering over the top of the bar fearfully. Looking down, Jack saw that he had been tidying some glasses away.

'Uh, yes Jack?' The barkeeper asked timidly.

'Where did they go?' The American demanded, knowing full well that Zabrox would know who he meant.

'They went up to their room,' the alien man explained quickly, 'you know Elunoirs - they hate risking being around with the sun up.' Jack felt a wave of relief wash through him, followed immediately by annoyance and jealousy – he'd found the boy first. Zabrox obviously assumed that Jack was waiting for more information. 'They ordered some shots not long after and I didn't hear anything from them until about ten minutes ago.' Jack hadn't really been paying attention to the explanation, not really caring now that he knew where the boy was, but his thoughts picked up at the end.

'Why? What did you hear?' he asked, and Zabrox eyed him carefully, wary of more shouting from the undoubtedly armed man.

'The two men, Leroux and Noomantra I think they were called, they left about five minutes ago – all covered up in their anti UV stuff.' He explained and Jack frowned.

'What room?' he asked, Zabrox nodded quickly and started leafing through some papers behind the counter, 'Room 138,' he answered, 'turn left up the top.' Jack nodded curtly and stalked off towards the stairs.

He didn't exactly rush, but he moved with a quiet determination down the long corridor, paying particular attention to the digits on each door. He didn't know why the two men had left, but they must have had a good reason to drag themselves out after sun-rise – even with the best protection there was always some level of risk.

'Why did they leave the girl…?' Jack wondered aloud – if it had been that important why hadn't they taken Sophie with them? Thinking about it made Jack's frown deepen and once again he cursed the van-driver that had killed him, maybe all of this would have been explained to some text he'd never got off the kid. But then again, maybe not, as he finally reached the right door Jack slowly drew his Webly from its holster before knocking.

'Sophie?' he asked, there was no reply, but straining to hear; Jack could definitely hear some movement. He stood back and braced himself to kick the door down before giving a final warning;

'I know you're in there Elunoir!' he yelled, and the sounds on the other side of the door fell silent. 'Fine then.' Jack mumbled to himself, and promptly kicked the door in.

---

Ianto's world was black and cold and painful. He tried to cry out but there was something around his neck, freezing and choking every single word.

Amidst the blur of the world around him he thought he could hear a crash, and then voices – or was it just one?

He wanted to open his eyes to see but he didn't have the strength.

---

Blood, the first thing that Jack saw when he stepped through the broken doorway was the blood. The boy was lying face down on the room's single bed; revealing a long line of deep glaring cuts that ran from the base of his spine to a massive wound at his neck, the blood clotting messily in the dark brown hair that started there. Jack's eyes widened in fear and fury as he ran forward, holstering his gun so he could check his pulse. Gently turning the boy over Jack winced when he saw the expression on his unconscious face, he looked terrified; his eyes were pulled shut and his mouth pulled down in a pained grimace, he looked so small – like a kid having nightmares.

The mess of cuts at the base of his head continued around the entirety of the neck and Jack had to be careful when he pressed two fingers against them to feel for a heartbeat, and sighed heavily when he felt a faint but steady pulse.

'You know you shouldn't touch that.' Jack span around to finally see Sophie, who gently closed the door that Jack had entered through. He quickly pulled his gun again and held it steadily in front of him, the sight straight on the vampire woman's forehead.

'What did you do?' he demanded, trying to stay calm, 'What's wrong with him??' Sophie rolled her eyes and began to run a hand through her dark blue hair, only to stop when she realised that there was blood caked on her fingers, and Jack's face contorted in fury when she raised her hand to her mouth and slowly cleaned some of it off with her tongue, but before Jack could say anything she had gone, moving faster than he could see and was suddenly stood behind him, next to the bed and the boy.

'There's nothing _wrong_ with him.' She said quietly, gently moving a strand of hair from his pale face, 'He's only sleeping.' Jack span around, not bothering to aim this time – he'd have to wait for a clear shot.

'What about the blood?' Jack asked curtly, and Sophie shrugged.

'It's nothing.' She said simply, and gently turned the boy over so the mess of his back was once again visible; Jack reached out to stop her but paused when she proceeded to brush whole sections of the blood away from his back, leaving unmarred skin in its place, 'It's just unwanted residue.' She finished calmly, continuing to slowly clean the blood off with her hands.

'From what?' Jack tried to sound authoritative, but couldn't keep the relief from his voice as he saw the blood gradually disappear, and Sophie raised an eyebrow.

'Surely you know?' she said, sounding confused, and Jack's heart sank – of course he knew, he just hadn't thought… he didn't want to think. He stared in silence as her hand reached the neck and removed the blood there as well, but this time instead of leaving clean skin there, there were long winding lines of black, symbols making numerous alien marks, stark against the pale skin. Sophie stopped; the blood all gone, and turned to look at Jack again. 'You _do _know what it means?' she asked again, and ran a finger along the marks on the boy's neck. 'What _these_ mean?' Jack stared at her.

'Yes.' He said hollowly, and she nodded.

'Good.' She said seriously, 'Then you know you shouldn't touch.' Jack flinched, this _couldn't _be happening; he tried to move towards the bed but Sophie stepped in between, her expression dangerous now. 'Step. Away.' she growled; her fangs pressing hard into her bottom lip, but Jack didn't move.

'I don't understand.' Said Jack hoarsely, 'Why?' Sophie shrugged,

'He is intelligent, or more than the majority of your species anyway, his personality is delightfully innocent and,' she paused for a moment, 'well, he's rather cute.'

'And I suppose him being a contact telepath has nothing to do with it.' Jack muttered and Sophie smiled easily,

'An added bonus,' she admitted, 'but beside the point. I was looking for a new pet anyway, and he was an obvious choice.' Jack gritted his teeth at the use of the word 'pet' but she hadn't really answered his question.

'I didn't mean why you picked him,' he growled, 'like you say – that's obvious. I want to know why he _let _you.' Sophie shrank back a bit as Jack's words became a shout, but Jack saw something else in her eyes apart from that slight fear – guilt.

'Ianto... expressed distaste for this world.' She explained, looking to the side, away from Jack 'for your _species_. He was also decidedly unimpressed with _your_ disappearing act and subsequent ignoring of the messages he sent you. He wanted something bigger than this stupid little world and he came to the conclusion that you weren't the way to get it.' Jack winced.

'He said that?' Jack asked uncertainly, not wanting to believe the vampire woman's words but the doubt now firmly set in place. Was that what the kid had wanted? To get away? Earth in the mid 21st century was pretty grey but it couldn't have really been that bad, it was peaceful – for the most part – and up until the Great Rift Disaster towards the end, mostly uneventful, Jack had been almost looking forward to living though it himself – back before London. What could have made the prospect of leaving so attractive to the boy? But then he thought about it some more, about Rose, Donna, Martha and himself, it was never about what they were leaving behind – none of them were trying to escape terrible lives when they left with the Doctor, not really anyway – it was about where they could _go_. He looked at the still body on the bed, was that all he had wanted when he had tracked Jack down to that bar?

'Yes, he did.' She said frankly, 'He is no longer interested in this world – or in _you_. So leave.' Jack didn't look up from the bed.

'I think I'd rather hear that from him.' He said quietly, and once again he saw that same look of guilt and also fear in the woman's eyes, she shook her head quickly before replying.

'He's not waking up anytime soon,' she explained, 'and besides, I don't want him seeing you – you'll distress him.' She finished, but the confidence with which she had spoken earlier was almost entirely gone. That did it; there was definitely something she wasn't saying.

'You didn't ask him.' Jack said suddenly and Sophie blinked.

'What?' she stuttered incredulously, 'Of course I did, it would be heresy not to! A Talmara is willing – that's the whole point!' she spoke fiercely but that guilt was still there in her eyes – and Jack felt his fury well over; she was lying, he brought his gun back to bear, aiming for her chest.

'You didn't ask him.' He repeated, 'He wouldn't have chosen this, no matter what he might have thought about the world or about people. This isn't what he would have wanted, no matter what you think he might have said!' Jack was struggling not to shout at this point.

'And how would you know?!' Sophie demanded, almost shouting herself, 'You only met him last night – you're strangers, you know nothing about him!'

'HE'S GWEN'S SON!' Jack yelled, and the vampire blinked fearfully, Jack took a deep breath and tried to steady himself, holding his free hand against his forehead, 'He's her_ son_. No kid of hers could give up on people that easily.'

'But he did!' Sophie insisted, 'He told me and Noom how horrible this world is, how being reading people's minds everyday he saw the darkness within people's hearts, how he wanted to get away from that!' she finished desperately.

'But did you _ask_?' Jack demanded, and she stepped back 'Did you tell him what you wanted? What it would do to him?' Sophie looked ready to break down, but Jack wasn't finished 'You've stolen his life away, just tell me that you asked him first!' Sophie blinked back red tears.

'I didn't need to!' she screeched, but Jack didn't let her finish her excuse, pulling the Webly's trigger instantly, unable to contain his fury.

But the vampire moved faster than the bullet ever could and instead of opening a hole in her chest, it simply grazed her shoulder, and before Jack could re-aim she knocked the gun out of his hand and then shoved him, hard, across the room. He hit the wall with a crash that rang straight though his skull and made the room blur dangerously. Instantly, she was in front of him again – her right hand in a vice-like grip around his neck, she squeezed it slowly and Jack had to struggle to breathe.

'Tiny minded thing!' she hissed, 'You have no idea! I haven't taken a Talmara for over one and a half thousand years - this wasn't a decision I took lightly!' Jack grimaced and tried to find the air to reply.

'You've broken every rule you people have,' he managed to choke out, 'the laws that your very religion is founded on! How could you do that?' he finished, no air left in his lungs, Sophie's face contorted in pain.

'I WAS LONELY!' she screamed, crimson tears falling from her pink eyes once more leaving long streaks across her pale face. 'I didn't want to be on my own anymore, almost two thousand years on my own – you have no idea what that was like!' she let go of him suddenly and stood back from the now gasping American, more ruby tears falling, 'Having Noom and Leroux around just made things worse, playing third wheel like that.' Jack managed to drag himself to his feet, and looked at her incredulously. 'I just didn't want to go another hundred years like that.' She finished lamely.

'That's your reason?' Jack demanded, as his eyes scanned the room and located his gun.

'I said you wouldn't understand.' Sophie replied bitterly, staring at the floor 'it's beyond your human comprehension.' Jack just nodded carefully whilst edging towards the forlorn fire-arm, but Sophie must have noticed the movement as her head snapped up and she jumped for him again. This time, however; Jack was ready, and the second he felt her arms on his chest he grabbed her wrists, and using the momentum she had already picked up he span them both around and quickly launched the vampire into the opposite wall, her head connected with a sickening thud and she collapsed in a heap, out for the count. Jack shook his arms out and finished picking his gun up, before quickly rushing to the bedside.

'Kid.' He whispered, 'Come on kid; wake up.' Jack grabbed his shoulders and shook them, gently at first but then with more urgency. 'Kiddo, open your eyes – we've gotta move!' but the boy gave no response, the same look of pain and fear still etched onto his sleeping face. Jack looked at the equally unconscious form of Sophie – he couldn't afford for them to be here much longer, he shook the boy's thin frame again but with no result.

'Come on.' He said desperately, closing his eyes in frustration. 'Wake up.'

'Idiot.' Came a bleary voice, Jacks head snapped around to Sophie, who was slowly hauling herself up from the floor. 'Even if you could wake him, he'd only be able to manage about ten minutes before he went again – he'll be under until the synchronisation process is over.' She managed to get to her feet and stretched her neck and arms slowly, Jack turned around to face her, positioning himself in between the vampire and the bed.

'Then I'll carry him.' Jack said, watching her warily, she shook her head.

'You shall do no such thing. He is my Talmara, my pet, and as such is my property – as it is written.' Jack frowned.

'Yeah, because _you_ wrote it.' He grumbled, 'look, you can't apply your damn holy rules here because you didn't apply them in the first place – I'm taking him home to his _mother_. First you take these damn things out.' He gestured angrily at the black markings on the boy's neck.

'You're the only one who knows I didn't ask.' Sophie muttered and before Jack could say another word she had run at him again, but this time there was no push to counterattack, she simply looked at him smugly – moving so fast that the smile was hardly visible – then moved her head below his chin and in one swift movement clamped her fangs over Jack's jugular and ripped his throat out.

The world disappeared in a painful splash of red as Jack crumpled to the floor.

When he came back, not two minutes later he saw Sophie stood above him, looking down at the boy's unconscious form.

'He was wrong.' She reassured herself quietly, and Jack slowly brought his gun up to bear – dying twice in one day was two deaths too much 'I've not done anything wrong, this is the most amazing gift – you'll stay with me and live forever.'

'Now that's beyond _your_ comprehension.' Jack said quietly from his position at her feet, and Sophie looked down at him in confusion and horror. 'You don't know the meaning of forever.' And without another pause, he fired his gun, the expression of surprise permanent on her face as the bullet struck between her wide pink eyes. Jack pulled himself up and brushed himself down, looking distastefully at the body on the floor, before stepping over it and gently lifting the boy from the bed.

He walked out of Hitchhiker's, ignoring Zabrox's demand for an explanation and didn't spare a single glance back.

**

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**

**Right Kids.**

**This took about two weeks longer than I should have and I apologise profusely for that, it was to do with the extremely unexpected - and very short notice - news that I had had manged to get myself an interview at Oxford University, which promptly had me fraking out and not managing to write more than two lines of this for a good week. Then I got rather ill and spent about four days sleeping or hallucinating, which also prevented me from writing. And to top it off when this was both finished and beta'd yesterday I couldn't log onto hotmail to get it. (grrr)**

**Those excuses aside, I am awfully sorry and will endeavour to never make you wait like that again (again)**

**As for the chapter, this went differently than initially planned. For example, in chapter 5 I sort of got a bit attached to Noom whilst writing him - initially the vampires were all meant to be baddies, and Jack would have killed them all - and made the decision that both him and Leroux (as in my head they were very much a couple) should get away, this didn't really effect the plot, and actaully makes more sense for some of the happenings in the next chapter, so seemed like an ok idea to me. Sophie, I find, is now a more sympathetic character also, even if it's just because i've made her quite pathetic - but these things happen so meh.**

**My overall comment on the chapter - or my beta's anyway because my comment is mostly just giggling evilly - is: 'poor Ianto.'**

**Poor Ianto indeed XP**

**Now, a quick moan about reviews,**

**I'm not gonna b*tch or anything, but honestly I get faves on this every now and then, along with watches, but no-one ever says anything. I do appreciate the faves and such but more reviews than just one would be really nice, and to be honest, would make me write much, much faster. So there. **


	8. Ruthless Efficiency

He had no idea where he was _going_. Jack cursed silently – the boy was a dead weight and after not five minutes of carrying him the American was starting to struggle, not even knowing where he was carrying him _to_. He wished he'd asked where the kid lived – or at least which university he was attending – wandering around London in the early hours of the morning with an unconscious boy under his arm was not the best of situations.

'I've gotta wake you up.' He murmured to his unconscious burden. 'Even if it _is_ only for ten minutes, at least I'd know where to take you.'

Entering Leicester square Jack gently set his load down on a bench and held a hand against his forehead; it felt normal enough, but the boy's face still plainly showed pain. He collapsed on the bench next to the boy and let out a deep sigh.

'This really didn't go like I'd planned.' He whispered mournfully, 'I should have taken you home, it was stupid, so stupid not to take you home.' Jack rested his elbows on his knees and rubbed his forehead in aggravation. 'Wake up, please.' He said quietly, 'Wake up so I can take you home – somewhere safe.' The boy didn't respond, so Jack started to run through his options in his head. The vampire had said that the kid wouldn't wake up until the synchronisation progress was complete – logic, as far as Jack could think, suggested that that would be about a day, two at most. Where could he take the boy for a couple of days if you couldn't take him back to where he actually lived? He could hardly book into a hotel; an older(ish) American trying to book a room for himself and an unconscious university student? That would go _so_ well.

'Can we help you?' asked a disconcertingly familiar voice from behind them. Jack turned his head slowly, with a strong sinking feeling that, as it turned out, was entirely called for. The two time-agents were regarding him with obvious amusement, standing innocently in front of the bench that backed onto his. The snowy haired cyborg – Charlotte – had been the one to ask, and raised a perfect white eyebrow over her good eye questioningly. She would have been the picture of innocence is it weren't for the long barrelled sonic blaster on her hip and the hand resting on it. 'Well?' she asked again, and Jack again didn't reply, just watched them warily and wondered if he could both run and dodge sonic blasts whilst carrying the kid.

'No thanks.' Jack said frankly, with no hope of it having an effect. The girl smiled sweetly, however it still made Jack's stomach turn.

'Is that so?' She said quietly. Her partner, James, moved from her side and walked around the bench, slowly coming to a halt in front of it, however looking far less confident than his partner – the grip on his own blaster slightly shaking. 'Now _I_ would say that you two could _really_ do with some help.' The boy nodded slowly.

'Looks that way.' He agreed, and Jack groaned inwardly – he'd have to try a different tactic; they knew he was an agent, but what was it that they had said earlier, that he might have been one of theirs – a veteran? He turned on his famously winning smile.

'O.k., you two got us.' Jack said sheepishly, 'You new agents really are too quick; oldies like me can hardly keep up. I'm Agent Harkness and this is Agent Hart – I don't believe we've met before.' He finished in as friendly a fashion as he could manage, but he couldn't miss the look of both surprise and confusion that crossed the Roman boy's face as he stood there in front of the bench. Charlotte quickly joined him, her sickly sweet smile no longer as strong – maybe using his and John's real names had been a mistake.

'I'm Paradox Agent Notre, and this is Commission Subject Delphin.' Charlotte said, and Jack raised an eyebrow – a Commission Subject? Suddenly the young Roman seemed a bigger threat than his cyborg superior. Commission Subjects were picked up (or kidnapped more often) by the Agency if they displayed traits or abilities that could be useful – he'd dated a Commissioned girl once who could unbalance any chemical in the body simply by touching you. She'd scared the hell out of him most of the time – but the adrenaline boosted sex had been worth it for the most part; you could go on for _days, _not that Jack really needed any help with that of course. Jack stood up and held out a hand to Charlotte.

'Good to meet new agents.' He said this amiably; however Charlotte only nodded in response as she grasped his hand in the cold metal fingers of her own prosthetic replacement. As they shook Jack noticed that her vortex manipulator was actually built into the structure of her arm, not to mention that it seemed to be infinitely more advanced than Jack's own model.

'Good to meet our seniors.' She finally replied evenly. Jack held his hand out to James tentatively but it was ignored, and before he had even had time to withdraw it, Charlotte interceded 'What is the problem with Agent Hart?' Jack blinked; he hadn't really thought of an explanation. _Quickly, quickly…_

'He is marked a Talmara.' James remarked and his partner blinked before taking the few steps forward in order to inspect the boy's neck. Jack reached out to stop her but a quick harsh glance from the blonde roman had him standing back, arms raised. Charlotte ran a finger along the black lines, translating them quietly under her breath.

'These are recent.' She remarked quietly, before turning to face Jack again 'how did this happen. And where is this Elunoir 'Denemi Sophie'?'

'_SOPHIE_!' The vampire's name was repeated immediately in a pained and terrified scream and the three of them whipped around to see the previously unconscious boy staring wide eyed and scared at them from his position on the bench, his hands clutched to his head and his frantic gaze switching from each of them quickly and randomly. Charlotte jumped back in surprise at his exclamation to stand beside her partner once again, leaving Jack stood between them and the boy; both her and her partner had drawn their blasters in the confusion.

'Oh you wake up for _her_.' Jack mumbled, but quickly lent forward and held a hand against his face. 'Look at me kid, it's ok; it's me – Jack – and you're outside. You're not at the club anymore; we're in Leister Square, look.' The boy's eyes slowly came up to meet Jack's and the American smiled reassuringly.

'I... can't breathe.' He choked and began scrabbling at his neck desperately, his nails leaving red marks on the skin around the patterns marked there. Jack quickly brought his own hands up, placing them over the boy's to stop him from hurting himself.

'Don't think about it, you'll get used to it soon enough, just take deep breaths.' He said, and, obviously taking comfort in the truth of Jack's words, Ianto nodded slowly. Sure enough his breathing slowly returned, though he left his hands on his neck even as Jack removed his own, almost as though he could feel the words inked there.

'How is Agent Hart?' came a question from behind them, and Jack turned to see the two blonde's apparently concerned faces, however Jack could still see it something in their expressions that made him think his lie wasn't totally believed.

'Jack…' came a mumbled voice from the bench beside him,

'What is it kid?' Jack asked, turning to look concernedly at the boy again.

'Jack, she's going to shoot you.' He whispered, and Jack's head snapped around.

'What?' he asked quickly and the snowy haired girl frowned at the accusation and the boys eyes grew even wider, his pupils dilated in fright.

'Jack, run.' He stammered, but Jack simply paused, taken in by the look of terror in those eyes that were so similar to Gwen's. 'Run, NOW!' the kid choked out in a yell, screwing his eyes shut as he grabbed Jack's arm in an attempt to move him. Charlotte, watching the scene unfold before her and her partner, rolled her eyes and sighed before swiftly pulling her blasters trigger.

The last thing that Jack heard as the concentration of sonic waves shredded a whole the size of a football in his chest was the boy scream his name. Then the world was gone again in a flash of white then darkness.

---

Ianto didn't understand. He didn't understand anything. Today had been... wrong. Too wrong and too weird. And Ianto knew weird, he _lived _it. Everyday of his life was lived on the edge of normal, maybe even slightly over it. He read people's minds; he'd grown up in a city where monsters stalked the back alleys at night – and yes, they did, because his Mum couldn't lie to him about _anything_. He'd grown up in a world where when a parent told their little boy that there was no chance that he'd be eaten up by an alien in the night he knew they were _lying_. His world wasn't normal, and he loved that, just liked being _more_ than normal people were; in the nicest way possible of course.

But this was too much, not the Hind, not the Hunters, not the bar, not even whatever it was Sophie and the others had done to him that meant he could barely keep his eyes open but for the frozen sensation around his neck. And certainly not Jack, well, maybe a little – but in a good way. But this, seeing the older man having a hole the size of his head being blown in his chest before crumpling to the floor… oh god, the blood. There was blood. There was blood on his hands, his chest, and his _face_. Ianto let lose an unintelligible shout before falling off the bench in shock and horror, crashing down heavily onto the grass. One hand still clutching at his neck, the other left tangled in the fabric of Jack's sleeve, his panic stricken mind unable to decide whether to let go or keep holding on.

Jack's mind had gone, Ianto could tell that much without even thinking; he knew what it was like when someone died, what it _felt_ like, to him anyway. Jack was dead. He didn't even know him properly yet, but Ianto had seen something inside the American's mind that had made him want to get to know him, to _need_ to.

And now he couldn't. Ianto's mind started to fog around the edges, and only the continuous freezing feeling, the ever present evidence of what the vampires had done to him, stopped him from tumbling back into unconsciousness. His eyes slid downwards, away from Jack's still form and onto the grass, and he barely registered the annoyance and boredom of the female Time Agent as she began to talk to her partner.

'Well,' she said disinterestedly, 'that was _pointless_.' The blonde boy gave a non-committal grunt in response, which she took for agreement. 'I mean honestly, _that_ was Ex-Agent Harkness? What a cop out!'

'Ex-Agent Harkness, a former 1st class Agent of the Old Agency, he left the agency over allegations of stolen memories. He is, or rather, _was_, number 4 on the New Agency's blacklist, and a known collaborator with number 3, the Gallifreyan; 'Doctor'.' The male agent reeled off dutifully, and the girl's annoyance seemed to go up a notch.

'That's my point James!' she said indignantly, 'And all he did was stand there and let me shoot him whilst pulling idiotic faces at this kid here, who, I might add, is _so _obviously _not_ Ex-Agent Hart.' She quickly stepped over Jack's body, followed swiftly by the boy, and reached down, hooking a metal finger under Ianto's chin so she could lift his eyes to meet hers, both the blue and the yellow regarding him coldly.

'He's a native,' James commented helpfully, 'you can tell from the ozone exposure and skin tone.' The girl nodded briefly, then, with minimal effort, the cold digits of her hand moved to hook underneath Ianto's arm and drag him into a standing position.

'Who are you?' she asked authoritatively, however Ianto's mind was still inside the fog of shock and pain; even if he'd wanted to he couldn't find any words in the confusion.

'He is clearly in shock Charlotte,' the roman attempted to explain as the girl dumped Ianto back onto to the bench, his head sagging forward to rest on his chest. 'The stress of the Talma procedure, which he appears to not have recovered from yet, combined with the death of his companion, has obviously been too much for him – he's only human.' Charlotte grinned cruelly in response to this, leaning down to run a finger along the boy's neck again.

'Not anymore, not _technically_.' She said, and James nodded.

'None the less, it's more than a mind can take all at once.' He said reasonably, 'We can leave now, I'm sure the child will be taken care of by the relevant Elunoir – wherever she is.' Suddenly, Ianto's head shot up.

'Where is Sophie?' he asked, not knowing how he'd managed the words, as though it was a response he couldn't control. The two agents looked down, surprised at his sudden return to wakefulness. Ianto registered how the Roman was impressed by the Elunoiran conditioning process, and the girl's simple interest in him increased, _a lot_.

'Awake then?' she asked sweetly, and Ianto nodded dumbly, 'Good,' she said as Ianto tried to see past them both to Jack's bleeding form on the gravel behind them. 'Now, how did you know I was going to kill him?' Ianto's eyes were instantly back on her, as she continued to smile with that hollow innocence.

'You better tell her.' James added monotonously, 'or she'll snap something off.' Ianto blinked; he could tell that these were not the sort of people he should reveal his ability to, but then again, he could also tell that she really _would _break something off.

'I read your emotions.' He gritted out – no need for them to know that he could read thoughts at a push, 'I felt your hunger to kill, your _bloodlust_. And you.. you..' Ianto took in a ragged breath, his whole body shaking. 'You _killed_ him!' he practically shrieked, 'He wasn't meant to die! I was going to…' he faltered again, unable to calm his breathing, and the girl raised an eyebrow, simply looking amused, however her emotions showed something else – greed.

'An empath.' James commented, 'and powerful too, to bypass our psychic training without any effort.'

'Indeed,' she whispered happily, 'We should keep him'

'Oh like _hell_ you will.' Came an accented outburst, and suddenly the blonde Roman was unconscious on the floor. Ianto's heart almost stopped as he saw Jack holding his gun aloft, clearly having hit James with the butt. Charlotte quickly started to turn around however he struck her too, and she went down, landing messily on top of her partner.

All Ianto could do was stare as he watched Jack stretch out and inspect the bloody remains of his shirt. He wasn't dead, he really wasn't dead. Ianto could see Jack's chest as though it had never been ripped open, and felt Jack's emotions flowing as though they'd never stopped: his annoyance at the state of his clothes, and his worry, about _him_. Jack gently stepped over the two unconscious Agents, sitting next to Ianto on the bench.

'You o.k.?' he asked quietly, and Ianto struggled to make his voice work.

'You died.' He croaked, and Jack shrugged, vague embarrassment flooding through his thoughts.

'It happens.' He admitted, and Ianto failed to understand how that wasn't a lie. Jack looked at him in concern and draped an arm around Ianto's shirtless shoulders; Ianto flinched at the contact, but then leaned into him heavily.

'I don't understand.' He whispered, 'I don't understand anything anymore.' Ianto screwed his eyes shut desperately, 'Why has everything gone so _wrong_?' Jack sighed and Ianto felt a huge flood of sadness sweep through the older man, made so much clearer by the contact between Jack's arm and Ianto's neck.

'I'm sorry.' He whispered, pulling the boy in closer and shutting his eyes. And they both just sat there, caught between cold and warmth, relief and anguish.

After a few minutes, Ianto stirred.

'We should go,' he said tonelessly, 'they're starting to wake up.' Jack blinked and turned to look at the two unconscious teenagers, a hard look coming over his features.

'Good.' he said coldly, 'I have some things to ask them.' He stood up slowly, letting Ianto straighten up and support himself at his own pace. He quickly removed the vortex manipulator from the boy's wrist, before attempting to do the same with the appropriate panel on the girls arm, and Ianto felt his frustration as he realised that nothing short of ripping the limb off would prevent her from time jumping – and he wasn't about to go _that_ far. Jack quickly took some of the ruined fabric from his shirt and used it to tie up both of their hands before sitting back down next to Ianto, watching the two intently.

The boy woke up first with no sign of distress or injury, just sitting straight back up to stare at Jack, however it wasn't the same. This lack of emotion wasn't the same as the simple disinterest that he had displayed earlier; it was more than that…

'He's like a different person.' Ianto whispered to Jack, tugging on his arm. The American turned to look at him confused.

'How so?' he asked, confused and Ianto looked at the Roman again.

'His mind is different, not even close to what it was before – it's not like a normal mind anymore.' He said slowly, not quite understanding what he was trying to get across.

'You are _very_ astute.' The Roman noted dryly, and Jack's head snapped around –the boy's voice had changed.

'Who are you?' he demanded – the entire thing was complicated enough without this.

'My name is Argen.' The boy said simply, 'I see the future.' Jack raised an eyebrow,

'Do you now?' he asked, doubt clear in his voice. Ianto continued to consider the boy, frowning slightly.

'It's MPD,' he said quietly, 'It's a second personality within the same mind. And he's not lying – he can see the future, this personality was formed so the other wouldn't have to deal with the stress of it.' Jack turned back to Ianto again, clearly surprised.

'You read all of that?' he asked, and Ianto shook his head.

'Some of it,' he admitted, ' but I mostly worked it out – I'm a psychology student.'

'You never said.'

'You never _asked_.' Ianto said dismissively, and Jack sighed, turning back to the new Roman.

'Anyway, _Argen_, what are you and the girl doing here.' Jack asked, serious again.

'Nothing of importance.' Argen said, speaking in a singsong voice that made Ianto cringe. He was grinning at them both now.

'What's so funny?' Jack asked coldly.

'I know who you are now.' The boy replied happily, 'And I know how you came back to life, wolf's brat.' Jack frowned sharply at that.

'What did you say?' he asked darkly, however the boy simply started to giggle hysterically before launching into an out of tune rendition of 'Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf'. Jack stood up, suddenly furious.

'What the hell do you know?' he demanded, but Argen ignored him, continuing to sing. Ianto watched the entire scene with no idea what was going on.

'What's the Bad Wolf?' he started to ask, but quickly stopped. 'Charlotte's waking up now.' He informed Jack dutifully, and the American turned his attention to the cyborg, who was slowly dragging herself into a sitting position.

'Make your crazy partner _shut the hell up_.' Jack hissed at her, and she blinked.

'James, what are you doing?' she asked groggily. Ianto noted how she followed Jack's order because the noise annoyed her just as much. The boy ceased in his song and turned to face her, still grinning manically; she visibly shrank back when she saw his face. 'Oh, Argen, hi.' She said quietly, and Ianto noted with some confusion that she was afraid of her subordinate. Jack rubbed his temples in relief as the noise stopped, before turning to the snowy haired girl.

'Right. You.' He said simply. 'A proper answer please – what is this _New Time Agency_?' Charlotte, still shaken from her partner's personality switch, replied without thinking.

'The New Time Agency was formed to both fill the void left by the old, and to combat the temporal threat of the two Temporal Abominations.' She said slowly, as though it was something she'd had to memorise at some point. Ianto watched Jack's frown grow deeper.

'Temporal Abominations?' he asked, but Charlotte didn't want to say anything else. Argen, on the other hand, was more than happy to.

'The Witch and the Wolf.' He sang out happily. Jack blinked, and Ianto felt the Americans shock; he put a hand on top of Jack's own and for the briefest of moments saw a face in Jack's mind's eye, a blonde girl in a pink hoodie.

'The Wolf?' Jack asked hollowly,

'The Baaaaaad Wolf.' The boy agreed, 'and all of her little messes, like you Wolf spawn, man who can't die.' Jack's shock turned into fury,

'If any of you so much as _try_ to touch Rose Tyler then God help me, I'll…' he said, outraged. But Argen simply continued to grin,

'But I can see the future,' he crowed, 'one day, you will die, die for the last time, and,' he looked at Ianto for the first time. 'You, little Ianto Cooper, friend of the Witch, you will buuuuuuuurn.' His anger reaching breaking point, Jack reached for the Roman, however before he could touch him Charlotte shouted out a command. Grabbing her partner, the vortex manipulator in her arm sprang into action, carrying them both away from that time and place. Jack cursed the heavens breathlessly, before turning around to look at Ianto again.

'You could have told me she was going to do that!' he said, agitated, but Ianto couldn't reply, and the world turned grey as he felt the thing around his neck drag him under again.

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**Thanks to the lovely Madame-Phoenix who stayed up really late with me so she could guest beta for me this week because Fey has revision and things to do. **

**So, a fair few things going on in that there chapter.**

**This chap has troubled me a bit, mostly because there have been several changes to very basic, very important goings on in it. And although I find this final version to be the obvious progression of my ideas for this chapter, I'm still not entirely sure of it.**

**What does anyone thing of Charlotte, James and Argen? I like Argen best myself, poor fortune telling crazy person that he is, but I made him up so that's probably just me. At this point in time, I don't know if they're actually going to be coming into the story again, however because the 'Commission Subject' thing interested me, I did come up with a whole back story for them, which I'll probably write up, even if not to put on here.**

**Hope this chapter didn't bore anyone to tears.**

**Reviews, as always, make my day and will ensure the next chapter will be written quickly.**

**Speaking of which, chapter 9 is called; 'Hello Gwen.' – I wonder what _that _means!**


	9. Hello Gwen

**Super delayed chapter, see a/n at end**

**Disclaimer (as there are more actual chars than usual in this chap) I don't own Jack, Gwen, Rhys or anyone else from the Who/Torchwood universe, which I suppose includes my Ianto, who was seen very clearly as an ultrasound in CoE day 1 XP  
**

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'You could have told me she was going to do that!' Jack spat in the vague direction of the bench where the boy was still sat. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, staring at the space where the two time agent had been sat, the cyborg and that damned _nutcase_ of a Roman.

'What do they want with _Rose_?' he muttered quietly to himself; _that_ had been unexpected. Formed to combat the threats of the Witch and the Wolf? What in the _hell _was the _Witch_? And what threat was Rose? The Doctor had told him all about what she had done, what she had _become_, he knew that for a period of time she had been the single most powerful being in creation, she'd destroyed the Daleks, brought him back to life,_ forever_, as though him just being alive again wasn't_ enough_. But from what the Doctor had described of the Bad Wolf, it had existed for all of five minutes, and maybe she'd messed with a couple of important rules, Jack was exhibit A for that one, but that was hardly call for an organisation to be bent on her destruction.

'Oh like they'd be able to get to her anyway.' He mumbled, turning around, 'The Doctor would be on their asses before they'd even got the right century.' Jack looked up to ask the kid was if he was alright only to see him slumped sideways on the bench, his arms hanging over the edge limply, his eyes once again closed – the ten minutes were up. Jack blinked; his initial panic at the sight replaced by supreme annoyance.

'And I _still _don't know where you live!' he exclaimed desperately, but of course, the boy didn't reply. Jack's shoulders slumped as he walked stiffly over to the bench, leaning down to sit the boy up, gently putting his head back to rest on the bench before smoothing some of the brown hair down, wet from sweat and rain.

'I guess I'll have to carry you home,' he said quietly, and started rummaging through the boys pockets before pulling out a small blue mobile computer, 'all the way home.' he said again, grimacing as he thought about it. Jack flipped open the computer, and quickly flicked through some of the kid's info files before holding his vortex manipulator up to the little screen and copying a code into it. He took a deep breath, put his arms around the boy's shoulders and then activated his teleport.

Jack and his unconscious companion reappeared on a quiet residential street, he quickly settled the kid down on the pavement as he stood up to take in his surroundings, this was unfamiliar street in an unfamiliar area, but Jack could tell they were in the right place simply by breathing the air.

'It's been a while.' He muttered and, after picking the boy up again, Jack Harkness walked the streets of Cardiff once more.

Jack found the house without too much trouble, there had been a picture of Gwen and Rhys stood outside it next to the contact info on the boy's mobile. Looking at it, he couldn't quite picture Gwen living there, it was a bit too… quaint, there was a neat front garden, complete with a cute selection of flowers and shrubbery, and a little path winding up to a dark green front door.

'A happy ending.' Jack muttered, and then looked down at the unconscious boy under his arm, it was a happy ending he was about to bring crashing down. He walked up the path slowly, and paused at the front door unable to knock, not wanting to break the silence, break their _lives_.

'Too late for that.' He said quietly, and prepared to push the button for the buzzer, but he didn't get the chance, and he froze as he heard movement on the other side of the door, and then the sound of the latch being turned.

It was Rhys, in a towel – just a towel.

'Fricking hell!' The Welshman exclaimed, not actually having noticed who it actually _was_ yet.

'Hey Rhys.' Jack said, not quite able to suppress a smirk at the man's state of dress. Rhys just blinked, is eyes growing wider as he realised just exactly who it was who was standing on his doorstop.

'Jack?' he asked hoarsely, looking the American up and down; and then he saw the boy. He blinked; his expression blank. 'Ianto?' he whispered, his eyes suddenly frantic at the sight of his unconscious son.

'Rhys…' Jack started, but Rhys simply turned around sharply before bellowing back into the house;

'GWEN!' before turning back, pushing Jack away from the boy, before gathering his unconscious form up in his arms, all whilst trying to keep the towel around his waist. However this turned out to not be the simplest of tasks; and Jack once again bent down to support the kid, holding him up by his free arm.

'What is it you big lummox?' a voice yelled from upstairs, sounding tired and annoyed. 'Has that bloody cat got in the trash again?'

Jack was silent as he watched Gwen storm down the stairs, he wasn't ready to see her; but there she was, Gwen Cooper.

She looked old, it pained Jack to think of exactly how long it had been since he had seen that face, she looked so much older, but still so beautiful. Her pace down the stairs slowed as she noticed that Rhys wasn't alone at the door, and then she stopped completely as she saw them clearly. Her son; being held up by her husband and her long-lost boss, shirtless and blood-spattered.

'Shit' she said under her breath, her face as still as the rest of her, unable to fight through the shock. Jack tried to smile.

'Hello Gwen.'

---

Gwen quickly covered the remaining stairs, without looking at Jack once, her eyes firmly fixed on the unconscious boy. Without a word, she hefted him up before slowly carrying him into an adjourning room, still ignoring the two men. Jack and Rhys watched her go in silence, before Rhys quietly pulled the front door closed.

'You better come in then.' He said slowly, and Jack nodded.

'Yeah.' He agreed quietly, following the other man into the room Gwen had entered.

Gwen was knelt down on the floor, in front of a large sofa which the boy was now sat on, his head leaning to the side, eyes still closed. She was checking his pulse worriedly; Jack just looked around the room, unable to conceal his interest. This was Gwen's house after all. The room was largish and warmly furnished with comfy looking chairs, and the walls were lined with bookshelves and multiple family photos. He noticed a large one over the room's fireplace that showed a Ianto who must have been about 14 beaming out from underneath his mother's arm whilst clinging to his dad, Jack smiled softly at it – it looked perfect. Having gathered that her son was still alive Gwen stood up, lifting the boy's eyelids to check his unresponsive pupils. After a moment, she straightened up again, taking a deep breath before turning to face him, her arms crossed over her dressing gown covered torso.

'What's wrong with him?' she asked simply, her voice deceptively calm.

'Nice to see you too.' Jack muttered, and Rhys squared up to him scowling.

'Now look here…' he started, but Gwen held up a hand to silence him, her eyes still on Jack.

'What's wrong with my _son_ Jack?' she asked again.

'He's sleeping.' Jack replied; suddenly not ready to even begin to explain exactly what _was_ wrong. Upon hearing this Rhys stepped over to his son, gently shaking his shoulder.

'Ianto,' he said '_Ianto_.' But the boy gave no reply, Gwen kept her focus on Jack.

'What about the blood?' She asked coolly,

'Blood's mine.' Jack replied and Gwen nodded,

'Good.' She said simply, and then she was silent. Jack and Gwen simply looked at each other, each one caught in the other's stare.

'You're still alive then.' She said at length, and Jack shrugged.

'Just about.' He said evenly, and Gwen looked down, tugging absently on the hem of her sleeve.

'Can you give me a reason why I shouldn't try and fix that?' She said quietly, and Jack blinked.

'You want an excuse?' He asked, an eyebrow raised.

'I want an_ explanation_ Jack!' she snapped, the calm façade gone. 'This is my son, my own _child_ Jack – what have you done to him?!' Gwen was visibly shaking now, and Jack held up his hands, his expression grim.

'Gwen, he's _fine_.' He lied, 'He's just asleep, he'll wake up and then you'll see for yourself.' Jack cursed himself internally. Even after all these years he still wanted to run away, and not just from the situation, but from _her_. To run away, deny any fault, any blame, just to talk himself out of it, and walk away to his next set of troubles.

And of course, Gwen knew that.

'Cut that_ shit_ Jack.' She hissed, furious now. Jack ran through his options in his mind, he couldn't run away from this, he couldn't ignore everything he had to tell them, everything he had to _explain_, and how soon he'd have to do that. But he hadn't seen her, in so, so long, and she was so angry already, but Jack couldn't bear for her to hate him just yet.

'Please, Gwen.' He said desperately, 'Just trust me; I can't tell you right now, I need to think.' He finished wearily, looking down at the floor, expecting no answer, but Gwen faltered.

'I don't know if I _can_ Jack.' She said slowly, and Rhys shook his head emphatically.

'Of course she can't bloody trust you!' he said furiously, 'You've been gone over twenty years Jack! You left this planet, and you left her and we've heard nothing from you since!' Jack winced from the Welshman's onslaught, he was right of course, he had no right to be here.

'Rhys…' Gwen said quietly, but he continued,

'And this is our _son _Jack Harkness! I don't want him associating with you!'

'_Rhys_,' Gwen repeated, but again Rhys kept going,

'I don't want his life being torn to pieces like ours were! I don't want him exposed to you and your shit, I want my son to live a _normal _life!'

'Oh and that's gone _so_ well hasn't it Rhys?' Gwen snapped, and Rhys fell quiet, she turned to look at Jack, her face deceptively calm. 'Promise me Jack, promise me that he's going to wake up and be o.k. and I'll believe you.' Jack nodded .

'He's fine, Gwen.' He said again, and she nodded slowly in return.

'O.k.' Gwen said evenly, and then a small smile broke across her face, 'It's good to see you Jack.' She said quietly, and Jack smiled back tentatively.

'Now there's a welcome.' He said quietly, and Rhys groaned, stalking out of the room, a scowl on his face. Gwen watched him go, biting her lip, but her focus was soon back on Jack, and not a second later she grabbed Jack and pulled him into a tight hug.

'I missed you.' She whispered against his neck and Jack chuckled softly, breathing in the scent of her hair.

'Missed you too.' He said softly, and Gwen slowly let go of him. She smiled before sitting down on the sofa next to her son, as she absent mindedly started to stroke his hair. She gestured for Jack to sit on the chair opposite, and he gladly followed suit.

Looking at Gwen and kid now, Jack could really see how similar they were to each other, but also all the little differences he'd missed at first. Like the shape of the nose, and how the kids skin was just as pale as his mother's, but without the smattering of freckles.

'So...' Gwen started slowly, 'Where have you been Jack?' Jack looked down, uncertain of how to answer.

'Around.' He said slowly, and Gwen raised an eyebrow.

'Around where?' she asked,

'Everywhere really.' Jack replied with a grin, and she rolled her eyes in response 'I went as far away as I could.' He added, the smile gone, and Gwen just looked sad.

'Did it work?' she asked softly, and Jack chuckled hollowly.

'No.' he admitted, but then looked up, running a hand through his hair 'But I kinda figure that maybe I should have stuck around, there's no style in running away.' He smirked at that, and Gwen put a hand over her mouth in order to stop herself from laughing at him, despite everything. She looked like she was about to say something, but never got the chance as Rhys' voice rang in from the adjourning room.

'Do you want me to get some tea love?' the Welshmen asked, and Gwen had to stop herself from laughing again, as she asked Jack whether he wanted a drink. He politely declined whilst Gwen told her husband that she was 'dying for a cuppa'. Jack watched her silently, watched the simplicity of it, of her and Rhys. It was a moment before she turned to look at Jack again.

'Why did you come back?' she asked, and Jack blinked, his train of thought broken.

'I couldn't stay away.' He said slowly, unable to be anything but honest, and Gwen blinked, looking a little put out.

'Stayed away from us pretty well.' She huffed and Jack shrugged guiltily.

'How have you been keeping?' he asked, side-skipping the accusation and Gwen shrugged herself as Rhys came in with the tea, sitting down in the spare space on the sofa, leaving his son in-between himself and his wife.

'Oh pretty good,' she admitted, letting him off the hook with only half a glare, 'still managed to come out with a pretty huge government pension you know – UNIT set it up for us.' Jack blinked.

'They did?' he asked, surprised and Rhys snorted,

'Bloody great big payoff.' He said scornfully, 'I still say we should have taken it all the way.' He grumbled, but Gwen shushed him.

'We had a baby to think about,' She said sternly, 'and it was a bloody _massive_ payoff, so quit your complaining.' Jack laughed at that, and even Rhys had to suppress a smile, turning to look at his son. Jack watched him carefully, there was some real tension in his eyes.

'When did you find out about him?' Jack asked suddenly, and Gwen looked up sharply, whilst Rhys frowned.

'What?' he asked, 'That he's gay?' Jack raised an eyebrow whilst Gwen rolled her eyes.

'Oh shut it you big lummox.' She said, 'He was about four Jack, he knew his Granddad was dead before we did.' Jack blinked at Gwen's abrupt explanation.

'Scared the bloody life out of me it did.' Rhys muttered, and his wife nodded solemnly.

'And when we finally worked it out, it explained a lot,' she continued seriously, 'and lord knows it's made bringing him up difficult. But he's a good kid Jack, a _really_ good kid.' Her words were heavy now, and Jack felt the guilt again, unable to speak whilst Rhys added;

'Even if he did go off to bloody London, gallivanting around with all his damn _boyfriends_ and reading his lecturers minds – he cheated some poor girl out of two hundred pounds last year!'

'She was trying to con him out of a thousand.' Gwen piped in, and Rhys huffed,

'So he says,' he muttered, 'but it's hardly honest, reading peoples minds like that.' Gwen rolled her eyes, but Rhys kept on going; Jack continuing to watch the mini-domestic in silence, half guilty, half bemused.

'And when did he get a bloody tattoo?' Rhys suddenly demanded, 'I told him he wasn't to get a bloody tattoo!' Gwen turned to look at her husband again; the ghost of a smile on her face, and Jack's heart fell, his face turning grim. As she turned back around she took note of his expression and another frown formed on her face.

There was no avoiding it now.

'Jack..?' she asked dangerously, Jack just looked away from her, his attention once again on the unconscious boy.

'It's not a tattoo.' Jack said quietly, Gwen's eyes didn't leave his face.

'What is it?' she asked, her eye's fearful again, but so, so angry.

'It's called a Nemtala.' He said, his shoulders sagging with the enormity of what he was about to tell them, 'It's not inked on.' Both Gwen and Rhys looked at him confused.

'What do you mean?' Gwen demanded quietly, and Jack grimaced.

'Just feel it.' He said, defeated. Both parents frowned and Gwen turned as Rhys gave a gently prod to his son's neck.

'Shit!' he exclaimed, pulling his hand away as though he'd been shocked.

'What is it?' Gwen asked quickly, walking over, and Jack winced as she recoiled from the boy just as Rhys had.

'There's something…' she started to whisper, before rounding on Jack, her face frantic 'What is it?!' she demanded, 'What is _in his neck_?!' Rhys stood also, his eyes as wide and panicked as his wife's, Jack looked away again.

'A collar.' He said, 'It's a collar.' Gwen's breath hitched, as she crossed the space between and struck Jack, hard, across the face.

'And what does that _mean_ Jack?' she demanded, 'What the _hell_ does that mean?' Jack continued to avoid her gaze.

'It's a metal called luman,' he said quietly, 'three-hundred and ninety two pieces making a collar around the interior of the neck and plating along the spine and ribs.' He reeled off the facts monotonously whilst the boys parents paled more and more.

'You said he was fine.' Gwen stammered, and Jack didn't reply, 'Jack! You said he was fine!' Jack held his hands up, trying to calm both her and Rhys down.

'He is fine,' he said quickly, 'better than fine! The collars don't really do anything except promote longevity - it's just made him stronger!' Gwen's face turned slowly furious now.

'_Promote longevity_?' she screeched, and Jack realised that maybe pointing that out has been a mistake, 'What Jack?? Like you? Jesus Christ what did you want from him?!' Jack shook his head rapidly,

'No!' he said, 'Not like me, he's not like me.' He qualified quickly, 'And it wasn't _me_ who did it – and that's why I'm here.' Gwen stopped at this.

'Who was it then?' she asked hollowly, and Jack took a deep breath.

'Vampires.' He said simply, 'they saw what he could do and they wanted him for a pet.'

'A pet??' Rhys demanded, and Jack nodded seriously,

'A Talmara,' he said, 'It's a religious thing, the Vampires live practically forever and so they pick out these 'chosen ones' to live out these long lives with them.' Gwen nodded slowly, her face pained.

'Like those fairies?' she said quietly, and Jack nodded.

'But without the kidnapping and creepiness.' He continued to explain quickly, 'They always ask, and normally people jump at the chance.' He said bitterly, Rhys' head snapped up at that.

'My son would never…' he started but Jack quickly agreed;

'No, he didn't' he said quietly, 'they wanted him so bad they didn't ask, they wanted his ability.'

'Where are they?' Gwen gritted out, 'I'll bloody kill them.'

'I already did.' Jack said simply, 'she was completely insane.' Gwen deflated a little at this.

'O.k.' she said slowly, 'but what about this collar… _thing_. Can you take it out?' Jack shook his head, and Rhys looked as though he was going to shout again so the American quickly added;

'But all I have to do is find another Elunoir and explain the situation, they'll happily remove it.' Both Gwen and Rhys nodded.

'O.k. Jack.' She said slowly, but she must have seen that he had more to say, 'So you can leave him here and go find them and bring them back?' her tone was dangerous now, and Jack took a deep breath.

'I can't leave him here Gwen.' He said, and her face darkened.

'And why is that?' she demanded,

'We're kinda on the run.' Jack offered, and Gwen's face became thunderous again,

'From who?'

'Time Agency.'

'Don't you give me that _shit_ Jack! There is no _Time Agency_ anymore – you told us that yourself!' Jack looked away.

'Well I was wrong wasn't I?' he said simply, 'And now they want him as well.'

'Well they can't bloody have him!' Gwen yelled, 'I'll bloody kill them!' Jack fidgeted with his vortex manipulator, not meeting her gaze.

'You wouldn't be able to stop them.' He said quietly, 'There's nothing on this world that could,' he looked up at her now, 'But I could take him away.' Gwen's eyes widened.

'No!' she practically screamed, 'You are _not_ taking my son Jack Harkness! No way in hell!' Jack stood up, walking over to stand in front of her placing his hands on her shoulders.

'I have to, if you want him to stay free.' He said quietly, 'I'm the only person who can keep him safe.' but Gwen shoved him away, running over to a table draw and pulling out a gun and pointing it at Jack's face.

'I don't care how many times I have to shoot you Jack,' she warned, '_you're_ _not taking him_.' Jack held up his hands in surrender, but he'd already put the relevant coordinates into the manipulator.

'I'm so sorry Gwen.' He said quietly, and as she loosened a bullet from her gun, he jumped for the boy, activating the time/space jump.

The last thing he heard was her screaming his name, again.

* * *

**I have no excuse for the delay in this chapter, which is about two months according to my beta, I was swamped and working on other things - original things, sacrilage I know - and I didn't have the energy to finish this chap, and to be honest, only just made it anyway. All I can do is beg forgiveness and shower you with virtual cookies.  
**

**Now, I doubt I still have readers at this point, but if you are out there it would mean more than I could put into words if you would make yourselves known with a review.**

**I will now make a promise.**

**My two week easter holiday has started this week, and by the end of it Finders Keepers will be finished. This is going to happen, DEFINATELY. This is in part due to the fact that there's only one chap to go (and then a bonus one) and I am so guilty about not updating that I have major bad feelings motivation so it's practically a given. That said, at this point I would like to say that there is going to be a second fic, which will include the Doctor - I am really looking forward to it, it's called: 'Try to stay alive.' and I hope that some of you, if you're still around. stick around for that too.**

**Love you all,**

**Strictly**

**xx  
**


	10. Feeling Good

**S****o here it is, the final chapter. Though I want to make it very clear _right now_ that not only is there a bonus chap going up very soon, but there is also very much a sequel, so this aint the end.**

**Anyway, do enjoy (hopefully XP)**

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* * *

  
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It was cold, it was cold and dark, but it didn't hurt anymore, it was more like he was just floating around in nothing, like a cloud in a dark sky.

Ianto Cooper felt lost in his own mind, he knew he was sleeping, and he knew he'd been sleeping for a long time now, ever since he'd been on that bench in Leister Square and the thing around his neck had dragged him back into the darkness, he just didn't know how to wake up. He tried to work out where his limbs were - could he feel his fingers? His hands? He tried to reach out and was rewarded with a faint cold sensation, nothing new really, but it wasn't a dark cold – it was kinda _wet_. He fumbled with his fingers, feeling his newly rediscovered forehead crease into a frown as his fingers dug into something that felt like cake mix. He tried to open his eyes but it wasn't happening, but he did manage to bring a hand up to his face – he was definitely waking up now.

'O Pidyn…' he cursed quietly in welsh, his voice scratchy, as he managed to force himself to sit up, he leaned forward, resting his head on his knees, trying to will his eyes open.

'You're finally up then?' came a tired sounding voice, and Ianto turned to face it, his eyes watering from the light – it was Jack.

'I guess so,' Ianto said, screwing his eyes shut again and rubbing the sleep out of them. He heard Jack stand up, and felt his thoughts get closer as he walked over to him. The American sat down next to Ianto on the odd feeling ground and spoke quietly into his ear;

'When you open your eyes, don't look down.' However, having heard that, this was exactly what Ianto did.

They were sat on the edge of a cloud, a great ivory coloured cloud, suspended miles above a thrashing sea, the waves the colour of blood.

'Jesus Christ!' Ianto exclaimed, falling back and scrambling away from the drop, 'we're on a bloody cloud!' Jack grinned at him, but Ianto was still to shocked to be annoyed by the waves of amusement emanating out of the older man.

'Yes we are.' Jack said, still smirking as he reached out a hand and took hold of him, sitting him down again, 'Though technically it's a floating rock with cloud around it – we'd go straight through otherwise.' Ianto blanched as the contact showed him Jack imagine them both plummet through the floor into the red sea below, he snatched his hand away, blocking the image out. The image of his impending death away from the forefront of his mind, Ianto took another look down at the distant water,

'It's amazing.' He whispered,

'It's alien.' Jack said matter of factly, and Ianto shoved him,

'I don't need to be psychic to work that out you burk.' He muttered, and Jack laughed, 'Where are we?' Ianto asked and Jack stretched out, leaning back into a pillar of the cloud structure.

'Its called Neonbara,' he said, 'it's just one big ocean, with the people living on the clouds.' Ianto nodded, now looking at the clouds around them, there were houses built into them – made out of a rock the same colour as the vapours, and there were people milling about in between them, they were blue and appeared to have wings.

'It's beautiful.' He said honestly 'But how far away from home are we?' Jack considered this a moment,

'About three and a half lightyears.' he said, and Ianto nodded slowly, before he looked away from the American, it was time for the big question,

'Well that's cool,' he said, before taking a big breath, 'But why have you brought me here?'

---

Jack looked at the boy carefully, the conditioning process was dormant right now, but it wouldn't be long before the protocols started to kick in. He really didn't want to do this to the kid now – he was so calm so far – but he needed to get this done now, _before_ he started with the questions.

'Kid,' he said slowly, and the boy looked up from the crashing red waves.

'Yes?' he asked, his face falling as he took in Jack's seriousness. Jack took a deep breath.

'Do you know where Sophie is?' he asked, saying the words carefully and clearly, and he saw the change in the kid's eyes as the protocols activated. The boy clutched at Jack's arm, his eyes suddenly frantic.

'Where is Sophie?' he gasped, '_Where is she_? I need to know where she is, I am her _property_ - I have to be where she is!' Jack held the boy still as he tried to get up, his feet slipping on the clouds damp surface.

'Kid, kid, look at me – _calm down_.' Jack ordered, cursing the dead vampire to whatever hell Elunoirs believed in as the boy started to hyperventilate. 'There's a transmitter in the collar, psychic signals, what you're feeling - it isn't _real_.' Jack tried to reason with him, but the boy was staring off into the distance, his thin frame shaking.

'I... can't... think.' He mumbled, leaning into Jack and starting to hit his fists into his temples. 'I have to find Sophie, she's my _owner _- I'm _hers_.' Jack scowled, this had to stop.

'You're not anybody's,' he said, but the boy was simply mumbling now. 'Listen, the collar has a psychic conditioning centre, to stop Talmaras from wandering away, but you're psychic too, you can ignore it – shut it off.' He wasn't even sure the boy could hear him anymore.

'I can't...' he stammered.

'Yes you can, you can do this, just shut it off - you don't have to think about her.' Jack reasoned, but the boy simply curled up smaller, moaning quietly as he stopped moving, his head stationary against Jack's chest.

'Can't... can't...' he repeated, slowly petering off into silence, Jack sat him up away from him, studying the boys face, it was blank now, even the fear gone – like he'd gone into himself.

'Kid,' Jack asked, starting to panic himself; they couldn't just fall at the first hurdle like this. '_Kid_, listen to me – can you hear me?' the boy gave no response. Jack frowned, this wasn't normal. '_Kiddo_.' He said again, 'Are you there?' again, nothing, Jack really was panicking now.

'_Ianto_!' Jack said desperately, shaking him, and the boy finally responded; slowly lifting his head. The American laughed nervously in relief, 'Can you hear me Ianto?' he asked again, and the boy slowly nodded, his eyes coming to focus on Jack's face.

'Thanks,' he said hoarsely, and Jack smiled easily,

'How do you feel.' He asked, and Ianto tilted his head to one side, considering this,

'I can still hear it,' he said, 'it wants to know where she is.' Jack scowled, but the boy smiled shakily, 'Don't worry,' he said, '_I _don't care where she is.' Jack laughed shortly, that was a relief.

Ianto took a deep breath, 'you know,' he added slowly, 'that's the first time you've said my name.'

Jack blinked, his laughter gone,

'What?' he asked, his smile falling a notch, was that right? The boy smiled sadly, nodding again.

'Yeah.' He said, looking embarrassed, and Jack sat back, suddenly unbelievably tired.

'Oh,' he said, rubbing his hands against his forehead, 'Oh…' he said again. Ianto looked sympathetic.

'It's because of Ianto Jones isn't it?' the welsh boy asked quietly, and Jack just looked at him, unable to reply. 'You don't have to say,' he added quickly, 'I know that that's what it is – I got that almost straight away.' Jack shut his eyes.

'Yeah,' Jack said finally, 'it's because of Ianto Jones.' Ianto Cooper nodded,

'It's eaten you up.' He said, 'It made the hole in your chest almost too big for you to take.' Jack just looked at him blankly.

'The hole?' he asked, and Ianto nodded again,

'The one that makes you read like a dead person.' He said, and Jack laughed hollowly,

'Never heard that one before.' He said bitterly, and Ianto shrugged,

'It's a fact,' he said simply, 'But I suppose I must be reading you wrong seeing as you apparently can't die.' Jack scowled now,

'Don't talk to me about things you don't understand.' He said coldly, but the boy simply smiled,

'So tell me all about it.' He said simply, and Jack looked at him, nonplussed – the kid really was pretty unreal, he wasn't taking a moment to think about why he'd almost just had a full mental breakdown, he wanted to know what was up with _him_? However, Ianto didn't actually wait for an answer, his face instead turning serious, 'But first, tell me why _I _am _here_.' Jack blinked, he'd almost forgotten about _that_ whole can of worms. He decided to keep it simple.

'Well I guess I kidnapped you.' He admitted.

---

Ianto looked at the older man blankly, he wasn't lying.

'You, _kidnapped _me?' he asked incredulously, and Jack shrugged noncommittally,

'Kidnap, rescue, it all pretty much amounts to the same thing.' The older man said, and Ianto tried to glean some more info from his emotions, but Jack was being carefully neutral.

'Oh screw that.' Ianto muttered and promptly jumped on him, pinning the American down on the cloud, his hands on either side of his head, the first thing he saw was his mother, with a gun.

'My mum tried to _shoot _you?' he demanded, as Jack shoved him off, now pinning Ianto down on the misty floor,

'Stay out of my head.' He growled, looking down and him whilst Ianto tried to get up, but Jack had far too good a hold on him and after a minute he gave up, red faced.

'I wouldn't have had to if you'd just said.' He muttered and Jack raised his eyebrows,

'You didn't give me the _chance_.' He said, and Ianto shrugged, well, he tried to shrug – it was hard with the other man on top of him. And Jack didn't seem about to move.

'Fine.' Ianto conceded, but Jack stayed put, the welsh boy raised an eyebrow. 'Do you want another kiss or something? – because I remember saying something about _earning _them.' Jack rolled his eyes before letting the boy up, and Ianto sat back, folding his arms. 'So,' he said, 'Spill' Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair,

'Well, that thing in your neck…' he started, and Ianto gingerly ran his fingers over the cold marks on his skin.

'You mean the one that I'm trying very hard to ignore?' he asked, attempting to smile, he couldn't feel it like he could when he woke up – it didn't feel like someone was choking him with ice anymore, it just felt weird, especially the bits he could feel _through _his neck.

'Yeah, that one.' He said seriously, Ianto nodded,

'What is it?' he asked, and then he realised what is was that was making him feel weird, 'I feel heavy.' He added, and Jack nodded thoughtfully.

'You would do with all that metal in you.' He said after a moment, and Ianto froze.

'Metal?' he asked hollowly, was that what he could feel?

'Yeah, it's the collar is made out of, it's called Luman – it's running around your neck and down your spine.' Ianto touched his back gingerly.

'Good to know.' He said weakly, 'Why?'

'Did the Elunoirans tell you what they did?' Jack asked carefully, and Ianto nodded.

'They sold extra life, in diamonds.' He said,

'Well, apart from the metal, there are a hell of a lot of those diamonds in that thing.' Jack explained, and Ianto felt the colour drain out of his face.

'What..?' he stammered, suddenly scared for the first time, 'Did I die? Am I dead??' he said, his eyes wide, but Jack shook his head.

'Do you feel dead?' he asked, and Ianto forced himself to calm down – he didn't _feel _dead, no.

'Well no,' he said slowly, 'but that's what those diamonds did wasn't it? Made you alive for a little longer when you were dead.' Jack considered this,

'That's what a bracelet or something else like that would do.' He said, 'Something on the _outside_, what you've got is plugged straight into you – it'll make you live…' the American paused and Ianto read a flush of self directed anger, '…for a really, _really _long time.' Ianto blinked, that was, unexpected.

'You what?' he asked, and Jack looked awkward.

'The Elunoirs,' he said, 'They live for a really long time.' Ianto nodded,

'Two thousand years.' Ianto said, remembering Leroux's words, but then he blinked, '_Two thousand years?_' he practically shrieked, and Jack looked guilty,

'If not longer,' he admitted sadly, and Ianto sat back, his mind blank. Two thousand years? Could he live for two thousand years?

'I'd end up looking like a raisin,' he muttered and Jack laughed, Ianto glared at him. 'It's not _funny_.' He growled, but Jack just grinned reassuringly and actually reached out and patted Ianto on the head.

'Don't you worry your pretty little head about your pretty little head.' He said condescendingly, and Ianto swatted his hand away, which only increased Jack's amusement. 'There's a little insert in there, releases chemicals that stop you from ageing.' Ianto nodded slowly whilst Jack added 'I've got summat like that myself.'

Ianto blinked, looking at the older man,

'To stop you from aging?' he asked, and Jack nodded,

'I've been at this not dying business for a long time now.' He said, 'It was a pretty nasty shock when I realised that not dying didn't include not aging – and, like you say, I didn't want to end up as a raisin so I got a chip sorted.' Ianto took this information in quietly.

'How long have you been alive?' he asked, and Jack shrugged,

'I lost count somewhere around four hundred.' He said, and he wasn't lying although Ianto could tell that four hundred years was the least of it, he let out a low whistle.

'That's a long while.' He commented, 'Is that why you kidnapped me? Because I'm gonna live a long time and you have experience in the longevity game?' he didn't believe it for a second, but he thought the question might make Jack squirm.

It did.

'Your mum jumped to that conclusion too you know.' He grumbled and Ianto stuck his tongue out.

'So what was it then?' he asked,

'Those two creepy kids with the sonic blasters,' Jack explained,

'Oh they _did_ try to kidnap me.' Ianto agreed as he remembered the scene, 'Also, technically there were three of them.' He added and Jack rolled his eyes.

'Whatever.' He said dismissively, 'The point is, they wanted you for a Commission Subject – that's when they kidnap what they class to be 'talented individuals'' Ianto let out a long sigh.

'Boy am I popular today.' He said wistfully, and Jack chuckled. 'So basically, you've kidnapped me so no one else can? That's kind of counter productive, not that I'm complaining.' He said, grinning cheekily, and Jack rolled his eyes again.

'I am _baby sitting _you,' Ianto pouted, 'until I can find another Elunoir to get that damn collar out of you, and until I'm sure that weird-ass time travelling fundamentalists no longer want you for a new plaything' Jack explained testily, and Ianto frowned.

'Just to clarify,' he said, 'You are keeping me away from the crazy 'time agents' – which I am totally good with by the way.' Jack nodded, 'But I've also been given a way to stay twenty-one, basically _forever_ and this is a _bad_ thing?' he asked, and Jack's mood immediately darkened.

'Yes it's a _bad thing_.' He snapped, 'You may look like one now, but you are not a Talmara, you're not partnered with some seven hundred year vampire to hold your hand and get you through this, you're just some kid with no owner who is now stuck with _me_ of all people.' Ianto didn't look too impressed.

'And this is a problem why?' he asked, an eyebrow raised, 'You cant die, I have over two thousand years guaranteed on the clock, and you're pretty damn good company even if rude.' Jack growled in frustration.

'You have no idea!' he spat. 'No idea what it's like to live that long! How horrible, how _lonely_!' Ianto scowled.

'Well I won't _be _lonely if I'm around will it?' Ianto demanded, his voice rising to match Jack's

'Well so far as I'm concerned, two thousand years is nothing - so that's no great help to me.' The America retorted childishly, and Ianto shoved him.

'Then I will spend two thousand years finding a way to live forever.' He yelled, and then kissed Jack, very forcefully.

Jacks mind was a jumble of confussion, and Ianto could tell he didn't want to listen.

'_Listen_.' Ianto said tiredly, sitting back from the older man and waggling a finger in his face. 'You're stuck with me Jack Harkness. Just deal with it.' Jack blinked, lost for words

'Oh screw it.' He said finally, and then he kissed Ianto back.

* * *

**So, um *looks a little lost* that's the end of Finders Keepers.**

**...**

**Took a bloody while didn't it?**

**Um, I don't know if anyone is going to be happy with this ending, and really I suppose it's a _begginning. _And everything very much keeps on going, 'Try to Stay Alive' will be starting next week, which I hope some people stick around for - it has the Doctor in! (tenth) and if any of you have read my oneshots then you'll know that i'm most confortable (and reasonably good at) writing ten, and personally i'm really looking forward to getting stuck into a fic thats actually a story, rather than lots of setup and exposision, which is what I think the main weakness of this fic is.**

**But anyway, we'll come to that when we come to that ^^"**

**I don't actually have that much to say, all I can really say is thankyou. I have had the most lovely surprise in my readers and reviewers - particularly after the last chapter, and it's really made me so happy and much more confident, I really can't thank you enough. So have some space hugs instead.**

***massive space-hugs***

**In particular I thank Orion Lyonesse who has reviewed every chap without fail, with really good advice and general niceties. Shout outs also go to, well everyone really (I am so sorry but I am waay to tired right now to get your names *dies of shame*) who ever review, tracked, faved or even glanced at this fic, I really love you all. And props to my most of the time beta fey-of-forest, she has the most uncanny ability to listen to me go on and on about all sorts of rubbish.  
**

**Thanks so much.**

**Strictly xx**

**Any questions or extreme dislikes of this chap? I want to hear that as much as any good stuff, so feel free to review me a beating - it's all learning ^^"  
**


	11. Shopping Break

**There were things I forgot to mention in the a/c for the last chap so I'll say em now real quick ^^".**

**The last chap was called 'Feeling Good.' After the cover by Muse, a song I really love and it was because of the line, '**_**It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life, for me, and I'm feeling good**_**.' Which I thought went well ^^"**

**Also I wanted to mention the great care I went to to make sure that not only did Jack not only not call Ianto by name, but the fact that he didn't even **_**think**_** his name until that chapter – I was so glad to get to that point because referring to Ianto only as the 'boy' or 'kid' was **_**really **_**starting to bug me XP**

**Either way, enjoy the bonus chap – it carries on from shortly after chapter 10.**

* * *

It was a very cold and windy day in Liverpool.

'Liverpool? Why the _hell _are we in _Liverpool_?' A voice rang out, and the Saturday shoppers turned to its source, a pair of bedraggled looking men – one without a shirt.

'What's wrong with Liverpool?' the second man asked, looking vaguely amused as his younger companion shivered, shirtless in the sea breeze.

'It's in the _north_.' The boy hissed, leaning into the other man, trying to steal some warmth. 'I _hate _the north, it's so, _northern_.' The American raised an eyebrow,

'Has the Welshman even been to the north before?' he asked teasingly, and the boy looked a bit guilty,

'Well, no.' he said, 'but still, _Liverpool_?'

---

Jack rolled his eyes,

'We're on the run kid, if you're gonna insist on getting some _shopping_ before we start we are hardly going back to London or Cardiff just for that, and besides – Liverpool is cool, good clubs in Liverpool.' Ianto frowned,

'Hey,' he pouted, 'aren't we on first name terms now?' Jack grinned and shrugged,

'And we are.' He said, before slowly adding; '_Ianto_.' Ianto rolled his eyes, 'But you _are_ a kid, so sue me if I call you one.'

'I'm twenty-one!' the younger man exclaimed, shoving Jack as they started to walk down a busy street, Jack chuckled – teasing the kid was just too much fun.

'And I'm so old I've lost count – you're a kid.' He poked Ianto in the forehead, 'And you're gonna be a kid for a looooong time.' He pointed out, ruffling the boys hair, Ianto swatted him away.

'Shut up.' He muttered and Jack laughed,

'Don't seem like such a good idea now does it?' he pointed out smugly, 'Little Mr. Talmara.' Ianto's look of mild annoyance was suddenly broaching on anger, so Jack was pretty surprised when the shirtless boy kissed him, and Ianto was grinning when he pulled away.

'Still seems like a great idea to me.' He said simply, starting to waltz off, 'But an even _better _idea right now, would be getting me a shirt.' The boy pointed to his naked torso, 'That cloud was _cold_.' Ianto span on his heel and walked off into the crowd, leaving Jack to follow.

---

'Lame, boring, too gothy, eww – too chavvy.' Jack watched in amusement as younger man slowly dismissed everything in the third clothes shop they'd gone into.

'Does it really matter?' the American asked, 'I thought the priority here was getting you a shirt.' He watched in amusement as Ianto turned to regard him incredulously,

'We're going on the run right?' he asked, and Jack nodded,

'Yes we are.' He said seriously,

'And we shall be running all over the universe right?' he added and Jack nodded again, keeping an eye on the shop assistant, who had been giving them weird looks since they came in,

'Yes we will.' He agreed, and then ducked when Ianto threw a shirt at his head,

'Then I need some decent clothes you pleb!' he said, laughing at Jacks reflexes as he threw a pair of jeans.

It was about thirty seconds before they were thrown out.

'See?' Ianto said, gesturing back at the door as they started down the street, '_Northerners_.' He said, and Jack laughed,

'You _were_ throwing shirts.' He pointed out, and Ianto waved his hand dismissively,

'Pah,' he muttered, and Jack chuckled, but then he noticed the kid was really shivering

'We really need to get you some clothes.' He said, putting an arm around him and Ianto leaned into him appreciatively.

'Fine.' He said, 'Where should we try next?' Jack shrugged,

'Somewhere better than the places we got kicked out of?' he suggested teasingly, and Ianto pouted thoughtfully,

'What do you think would be good?' he asked, and Jack made a non committal noise,

'Beats me,' he said, and Ianto stuck a tongue out,

'Then I just see what you like,' he said, entwining his fingers with Jack and concentrating as they continued down the street, Jack eyed him warily, he didn't really like it when the kid did that.

'Get over it.' Ianto muttered, and Jack sighed. After a moment, Ianto turned to look at him, an eyebrow raised. 'I am not wearing _that_.' He said, and Jack blinked.

'Wearing what?' he asked, and Ianto rolled his eyes,

'Don't pretend you don't know.' The welsh boy said, waggling a finger, but then walked off, looking very purposeful in his direction, once again leaving Jack to rush after him.

---

It was a military surplus shop. Jack looked at it blankly.

'And we are here why?' he asked slowly, but he figured he knew exactly why.

'Don't pretend you don't know.' Ianto said, repeating his last words, but Jack didn't reply. '_Look_,' the boy said, 'whenever you picture yourself in your head you're wearing this big flappy' Ianto gestured with his arms, 'coat – a big flappy coat I notice you don't actually _have_. So we are going to get you a _new _big flappy coat.' Jack blinked, did he really imagine himself like that? Well, he supposed he did really. He nodded thoughtfully, and then kissed Ianto on the forehead.

'That, is very sweet of you.' He said honestly, 'But we are meant to be getting _you _clothes.' Ianto shrugged,

'Then I'll get clothes here.' He said, grinning, and dragged Jack inside.

'We need a coat!' Ianto announced as they entered the shop, and the aged scouser behind the counter looked at him wearily.

'A coat?' he asked, 'Any particular type of coat mate?' Ianto faltered then, before turning to Jack, looking embarrassed.

'Umm, ask him.' He said sheepishly, pointing at the American, 'I'll just look around.' He quickly disappeared into the depths of the musty smelling shop. The shop keeper looked vaguely panicked, turning to Jack for reassurance.

'Is he all right in the head?' he asked, and Jack smiled ruefully,

'All things considered,' he said, 'he's better than alright.' The scouser nodded slowly,

'That's as well mate,' he said carefully, 'but is he alright running around my shop?' Jack chuckled.

'Don't mind him, he's paying anyway. Now, about this coat.'

---

After about thirty minutes, Jack, and Steve the scouse shopkeeper, had found his coat.

'Ooo, I like it!' came a voice from behind him, and Jack turned around to see Ianto, dressed like someone straight out of the Battle of Britain.

The boy was wearing a beaten brown leather flying jacket, lined with cream wool, Jack could see a dark green pilots shirt on underneath with the top two buttons left undone and a black tie hung loosely and unknotted around his neck, and, to top it off there were a pair of heavy glass flying goggles sat on top of his head.

Jack just looked at him blankly.

'So I _do _look cute.' Ianto said triumphantly, and Jack couldn't help but laugh as Ianto stepped past him to the counter. 'We'll take all of it.' He said happily, handing over a credit card, the scouser raised an eyebrow.

'You alright to pay for this all mate?' he asked slowly, and Ianto shrugged.

'It seems I no longer require my university funds,' He said, 'so you're welcome to them.' The scouser blinked, looking at Jack,

'You sure about that?' he asked, and Jack shrugged also.

'Needs must.' He muttered and the shop owner nodded slowly,

'Whatever you say mate.' He said, and swiped the card.

'It really does suit you,' Ianto commented, 'the coat.' Jack smiled, and tugged on the younger man's jacket.

'And you do look pretty cute.' Jack said in return and Ianto beamed.

'Here you go son.' Steve said, handing back the Welshman's card.

'Thanks.' Ianto said brightly, 'You've been really helpful.' The shopkeeper smiled back,

'Considering the money came through o.k. – I'm glad to have helped.' The scouser said easily in return and Ianto laughed, 'So why are you quitting on the university lark then mate?' he asked good naturedly, and Ianto shrugged,

'Like he said; needs must.' He said simply, Steve nodded knowledgeably,

'Fall in with a bad crowd?' he asked, and Ianto blinked, before considering this,

'Kinda.' He mused, 'what makes you say that though?' he asked, and Steve shrugged,

'One hell of a tat you got there.' He said simply, and Ianto frowned, pulling his shirt over his neck so it wasn't visible anymore. The shop keeper frowned, 'Sorry mate, didn't mean nothing by it.' Ianto shook his head,

'No it's fine.' He said quietly, and Jack looked at him concerned.

'We should go.' Jack said, gently touching the boys shoulder, and Ianto turned to look at him, before very quickly saying;

'One last thing.' And running back into the shop, both Jack and the scouser watched him go, Jack sadly and Steve concerned.

'You gonna look after that kid?' the shop keeper asked, and Jack nodded,

'I'm gonna try.' He said seriously and the other man nodded. After a moment Ianto returned, this time with a silk scarf around his neck, matching his outfit and completely covering the marks on his neck, the boy threw the credit card back on the counter, muttered;

'Keep it.' Along with another thank you and walked straight out of the shop.

'Keep it?' Steve echoed, 'Where exactly are you _going_?' Jack sighed, starting to follow Ianto out of the store.

'Very far away.' He said simply, turning to look at the shopkeeper again, 'Thanks.' Steve shrugged and then waved them off.

Jack caught up with Ianto halfway down the street.

'Are you o.k.?' he started to ask but Ianto quickly interrupted,

'Just one last thing o.k.?' he said, 'then we can go.' Jack nodded warily.

'O.k.' he said, 'What is it?'

'I'm gonna write a letter to my Mum.' He said quietly, 'So she knows I'm alright.' Ianto looked up at Jack, 'Is that o.k.?' Jack nodded, putting an arm around him.

'That's fine.' He said gently.

---

'All done then.' Ianto said, dropping the envelope into a tall red post box, Jack watching him carefully and _really _wanting to know what had been in the letter.

'Guess so.' He said, as Ianto walked back towards him settling next to Jack on the bench they'd found overlooking the Mersey. Neither of them said anything for a moment.

'So where are we gonna go?' Ianto asked quietly, and Jack shrugged

'Far away.' He said simply, and Ianto stared out over the dirty river,

'How far is far away?' the boy asked,

'How long is forever?' Jack asked rhetorically, and Ianto elbowed him,

'Don't be a smartass.' He muttered, and Jack chuckled, Ianto smiling slightly in return, 'Good question though.' He added.

* * *

**I want a flying jacket…**

**I think I prefer this chap to the actual last chapter, so I might just pretend that that's what it is, rather than something I'm choosing to tag on the end XP**

**This chapter makes me laugh for a number of reasons, firstly because a lot of it refers to how no one has bothered to put a shirt on Ianto since it was taken off in, um, chapter 6 I think it was, and he really must be pretty damn cold by now – it was raining in London for pity's sake XD. The second reason it makes me laugh is the fact I dumped them in Liverpool, which I did as it's my home city and the idea of Ianto dissing northerners made me giggle.**

**I hope everyone liked this last little bit of Finders Keepers, and feel free to review – as this is your last chance! ;)**

**But seriously, I can't thank all of you enough, but _thanks_, **_**really**_**.**

**Lots of love,**

**Strictly xx**

**Try to Stay Alive soon!**


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